If Only Tears Could Bring You Back To Me
by ShadowSpirits
Summary: (COMPLETE) Bakura has taken his own life for reasons only Ryou knows, and the most unexpected person seems to be the only one broken by it...But is the yami, really gone? Yaoi. YamiBakura
1. Death Creates Depression

I finally got an idea for something! YAY! I wanted to cry as I wrote this...I cried THINKING about it....my first yaoi, but I think it's pretty good...angst/romance....very angst at that and it may be *slightly* OOC, but not much. This *is* a songfic. Oh...and this is fully Yami's PoV. PG-13 for language...  
  
Yami Bakura is Bakura  
Normal Bakura is Ryou  
Yami Yugi is Yami  
/Yugi to Yami/  
//Yami to Yugi/  
  
Yami Bakura has taken his own life for unexplained reasons, and the most unexpected person is the only one who is truly broken over it. Yami/Bakura  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or the song "If Only Tears Could Bring You Back To Me" by Midnight Sons.  
  
******  
There they are. All of them (minus Mai), outside in the rain. Me? I'm in my soul room. Joey's making witty remarks, Kaiba only speaking up with his Chihuahua comments to the blonde. Mokuba wants to go home, Tristan and Tea are muttering things like "good riddance". Ryou....he's half happy and half depressed and my aibou just is silent. But all of their sadness that they scratch together cannot match mine. My aibou figures I'm in my soul room because he thinks I'll fall over laughing cruelly if I came out. I can't laugh.  
  
This funeral is painful. It pains every part of me...every part! Am I the only one that cares he's dead? Am I? No one else seems to.....  
  
Why did he do it? Why did he have to take his life?! Ryou is the only one who knows....how and why...but he won't tell us. I don't know if I want to know....  
  
In the last week he had been trying so hard it seemed just to be....almost normal. But no one excepted him........I tried! I really did....but whenever I did, just a harsh remark was thrown from my mouth to him. Damn....  
  
******  
Three days after Bakura's funeral....Aibou is worrying because I haven't spoken a single word. He doesn't understand, no one does or ever will. Hell! I don't even understand!  
  
Sure, I've always accused Bakura of everything, blamed him for his past and many times attempting to steal the puzzle....but...it was a damn cover! A veil! He tried to change, he *tried* and.....and look what he got in return....nothing........  
  
  
How will I start..  
Tomorrow with out you here?  
Who's heart will guide me..  
When all the answers disappear?   
  
  
I wish........maybe I should have....just said something....  
  
But would you have just laughed? If I told the others...would they just laugh too? I can hear Joey now... "Nice one Yami! You really had me believe a minute there, Pharaoh and tomb-robber...heh..." So damn what?! So. What.  
  
Why.....do I bother?  
  
/Hey Yami! We're all heading to the park! You wanna come...?/  
  
Aibou....don't you get it? I don't want to do ANYTHING! Can't you just leave me alone?   
  
I would say that...I can't be cruel to my hikari though, it's not his fault this happened. But why is he so cheerful about it? Honestly, I was ready to respond nicely...but....I can't believe what he just said...  
  
/Yami? Are you ok? You've been really out of it the last few days....you should be happy! Bakura is dead! All your troubles and everyone's at that are gone now!/  
  
My eyes widen in pain from my soul room, but my light can't tell....I hope that's a good thing. His voice seems to ring through my head over and over again...Why won't it stop?! Why.....?  
  
//Just leave me alone....//  
  
/But Yami I-/  
  
//Leave me alone, Yugi.// He drops silent and I separate into his room as he leaves the house without a word. Yugi? I hardly ever call him that anymore.....my voice was so sharp...probably scared him into silence...but dammit what he said! I should be HAPPY?! How the hell can I be happy?!  
  
  
Is it too late?  
Are you too far gone to stay?  
  
  
There is something I can do though...with Yugi gone from the house....I wish I had done it earlier but I was too depressed. I still am actually.....when will I get over it? Ever? I....I just don't know what to do.......I've never felt this much pain.....I've never felt this way PERIOD! Guess I should get going though....just need to stop at the florist.  
  
******  
I'm on my knees. In tears. Infront of Bakura's grave. No flowers, but there are already cobwebs...or something at least. A chilling breeze snaps over my face, it shouldn't be that cold....it's summer....it shouldn't be cold! Maybe it's my tears...?   
  
.......The tears........they won't stop flowing....and it's darkening out, clouds rolling in and becoming colder....how long have I been just kneeling here?  
  
A faint smile creases over my lips, my shaking hands placing a bouquet of an assortment of flowers by the grave...black and red roses. Black for Bakura.......red for me. It's probably crazy...I've probably sulked too much over this......  
  
You know....I really did think highly of you, Bakura....  
  
....Even in Egypt, as Pharaoh. So I was completely cold and heartless back then...but I did respect you enough, you always tended to outsmart me....until that last time when you were caught. And sealed into the ring. I remember your screams of pain.......I laughed then....I cry now as they haunt me.  
  
  
Best friends forever  
But you never have to go away...   
  
  
/Yami...? Where are you...? I thought you'd be home....it's late Yami....where are you....?/  
  
Yugi....  
  
I don't answer him. But I do put up a mental block as I find myself curled on the cold ground. Crying to sleep.  
  
******  
Morning comes and I swear there is a vulture standing on Bakura's grave staring at me thinking I'm its next meal. Oh wait...it's a crow.  
  
"Get the hell off that!" I find myself shouting, scrambling up to shoo the black bird away. Damn thing. Damn, damn thing.  
  
Next thing to register my mind. My clothes are wet. Great...just great....it rained last night, and silly me I was asleep out here. I slept in the rain? Man...I must be more out of it then I thought. Yugi! What's he going to say?! What am *I* going to say? Oh, sorry aibou I fell asleep by Bakura's grave stone crying because my love is dead. Yeah. That would work. Anyone asks...I fell asleep in some part of the park. Away from where they were.  
  
I'm never going to survive this.  
  
  
What will I do, you know, I'm only half without you.  
How will I, make it through?  
  
  
******  
I enter the game shop, mostly dry for the fact I walked around awhile to get this way. And the first thing I feel (not register) is someone nearly tackling me over. My eyes fall down to the figure hugging me. Yugi.   
  
"Yami! Where have you been? I was so worried! Why did you close off the mental link? Ohhh I was so worried what happened to you!"  
  
I fake a smile. "Sorry aibou, I just had to think about something."  
  
"Uh....ok....about what?" I feel the tears begin to form a layer over my eyes and I summon my power to hold them back. A hand of mine pats down on my light's head, ruffling that multi-colored toned hair that is similar to mine.  
  
"Nothing aibou....don't....worry about it..." That's all I say before escaping to my soul room. I had to be there, not out here.  
  
******  
The Egyptian styled flooring breaks my fall, I wish I would keep falling. It would stop the warm water running from my duo faucet of eyes. -Nothing aibou...- Like hell nothing, sure, everything is PERFECTLY fine!  
  
  
If only tears could bring you back to me  
If only love could find a way  
What I would do, or give, if you returned to me  
Someday, somehow, somewhere...  
If my tears could bring you back...to me...  
  
  
Perfectly....fine...........  
  
Why can't I believe it?  
  
Why the hell did you have to go and kill yourself?!  
  
That's it. I'm going to go see Ryou.  
  
//Aibou, I have to go out...I'll be back later..//  
  
/Oh.......alright...promise?/  
  
//Hai, I promise.// I hope.  
  
******  
In a matter of seconds I was out of my soul room and running through the streets, and now...a few small strides from Ryou's doormat. Calming myself, I stare at the white board of wood making up his door a moment before knocking on it. Hard.  
  
Almost instantly, Ryou flings open the door and stares at me awkward. My eyes stare at him sharp, I can feel it. Without even being offered inside, I step in, forcing Ryou in with this motion. My voice matches the feeling in my eyes. Sharp. "How did Bakura kill himself?"  
  
"I....uh.......see......I can't tell......." He stutters, fearing me, and I really could care less right now. Again, I advance forward and he falls back over the stairs, cringing even though they're carpeted.   
  
"Tell me. NOW!" I snap with an added hiss and third eye glowering on my forehead. He shrivels, showing it by the look in his eyes and I can feel it from him....ok....so I am slightly guilty.  
  
"A k-k-k-nif-e-e-e..........t-to........the.........h-h-heart........."  
  
"Why didn't you STOP him?!"  
  
"Y-Y-Yami....I f-found him.....when I g-got home............"  
  
"Why would he do it...?" My voice softens, and he seems to calm more himself.  
  
"I heard....through the mental link.......he said he tried........to be excepted......but it wouldn't work......because everyone followed your perspective..........and t-then he.....he......." Ryou's eyes watered, seemed he was depressed about Bakura's incident as well. "He said he was sorry." Those chocolate brown eyes look away from me, I can see he was crying and I abruptly leave his house...my own tears coursing down my pale face. Yes. It was pale. Probably got a cold from last night.....  
  
  
I've cried you a notion  
So please sail on home again  
Wings of emotion, will carry you and all they can  
Just like love guides you, and your heart will chart the course  
Soon you'll be drifting, to the arms of your true north  
  
  
It's.......my fault. My fault he's dead. If I only had told him that I loved him, would he still be alive? So he may have hated me, but he would have been alive!  
  
Ryou said that it was because everyone followed MY perspective. And MY perspective on the outside was to yell at him 24/7. But MY true perspective was that I loved him....and look what MY damn perspective that I showed brought me. Stupid......how could I have been so stupid?!  
  
******  
I find myself in some woods, a creak running by a very tight clearing. My body tells me to sit down and I comply, leaning my body limply against the rough bark. Now that no one is around, the hundreds and millions of tears I forced in explode, my arms automatically wrapping around my legs and pulling them to my chest. Head buried and all, my voice muffles out between weeping and whimpers. "I-it's my f-fault...."  
  
  
Look in my eyes, and you'll see, a million tears have gone by  
And still they're not dry...  
  
  
"You can't be dead though.....it can't be true....someone a-anyone please just s-say it's just s-some kind of joke.....ONEGAI! Ra please.....this CANNOT be true!" I pause, my body freezing like someone turned off the switch. It feels as if blood is drawn and my skin turns a ghostly white and I cough painfully, my cold (if that's what it is) has worked its way badly into my system. Three words escape my mouth, only three........ "But it is." ........And then my world blackened.  
  
  
If only tears could bring you back to me  
If only love could find a way  
What I would do, or give, if you returned to me  
Someday, somehow, somewhere...  
If my tears could bring you back...to me...  
  
  
******  
I awoke in a bed, too weak to sit up. Both my ruby eyes, open as slits scanning around with a blurred vision. Foggy for use of a better word. Yugi is staring over me to my left side from a chair, infront of me I can see a TV set on the show Smurfs and about four hospital blankets on me. And a heart monitor to my right. Hospital? Am I here? Is that *possible*? But I was in the woods.....how did I.....how could I......-  
  
"Yami! You're awake! I felt your body slip unconscious and somehow used the puzzle, I can't remember how now....but I found you in some weird woods! You're body seemed frozen too....so I got you here....." His voice drifted and violet eyes stared at the floor. I did try to talk, but all that came out was a puff of air. That's one thing good about a mental link.  
  
//Thank you......Yugi....//  
  
He smiled up at me, still talking in normal speech. "No problem! Get some rest, ok? You look like you need it..." I nod and roll over best I could. Least there were no tubes sticking through me.   
  
I never thought I would fall asleep....but I did........  
  
******  
Again, I awake. But not in the hospital....  
  
Wherever I am, the ground is dried and cracked, dead trees scattered yards apart from one another. How'd I get here anyway? No one is around...they couldn't of brought me here.  
  
Maybe......maybe I escaped the hospital absent mindedly and slipped out here. But that can't be, Domino City has no place like THIS around. Everything is dead. Oh look....my eyes catch sight of something a brownish white. Great....a dead animal.  
  
HOLY SHIT!   
  
Maybe I'm dying in the hospital! And this is where I have to go between life and death! Where's Osiris? Isn't he supposed to be here? Maybe Anubis or any other god that feels like watching the Pharaoh, Yu-Gi-Oh, ME whoever I should be called nevertheless DIE. Rot. Decay. ARG!  
  
Oh....but if I die........  
  
......Could I find my love again.....?  
  
Maybe so.  
  
Because there he is now....  
  
I rush over to a laying down figure, but stare down at it unpleasantly. A knife was "arranged" crimson colored by the figure. My mind races as I see the blood everywhere and the stillness....it's Bakura...no doubt about it........h-he's dead.......right.....before......my....eyes.... "N-no.."  
  
My arms lift him into them as I sink to my knees, his own blood drenching over my hamstrings. "Y-you can't be.....t-this isn't real....Bakura wake up....please dammit wake up....." How I wanted to yell at him to move, open his eyes, ANYTHING! But my voice wouldn't escape above a whisper. It just wouldn't. "Bakura please...I love you.....don't die like this....I know it's my fault....but you can't die...I LOVE YOU!" I cry out, my voice charging high over that weak whisper I had before and I bury my head in his blood covered chest, his sweatshirt no longer white from the cut as my vision is dimming white....or maybe it isn't my vision...  
  
  
I hold you close  
And shout the words, I only whispered before  
For one more chance, for one last dance  
Inside of me  
That I would like, and love!  
  
  
******  
I snap my eyes open. The hospital. Again. Was it a dream? No. It wasn't. It was a freaking nightmare. If Yugi wasn't in the room I would be crying, again. But no matter how weak I am I somehow muster the last ounce of strength to hold back tears.   
  
It all seemed so.....so real. Bakura was in my arms, dead, blood everywhere...on the knife...everything.....  
  
Then time lapsed and faded and here I was...in the hospital bed with my back to Yugi. With the many blankets on me, I do my best to pull my legs so I curled in a ball, salvaging heat. Why the hell am I cold?! I have four freaking blankets on me! Still cold....ugh...I need another blanket....  
  
/Oh, good you're awake. The doctors said you had a very mild case of Hypothermia......and it was a good thing I found you. Where were you last night? Maybe that's what caused it...../  
  
What was my excuse again? I don't remember.....think Yami think.....um......I really wish Yugi wouldn't stare at me like that, I can FEEL it even though I'm not facing him. Ohhh....THE PARK! Right, right that was it....  
  
//I wandered off to the park to think and ended up falling asleep.....//  
  
/Through the rain?/  
  
//Guess so...// He couldn't know the truth....he couldn't! And yet...I let it slip as I whisper in a frail voice, unable to stop. "No...I wasn't there...."  
  
"Then where Yami....? Where were you....?" He stares worriedly and I look at the heart monitor, at least it seems to show I'm going to live.  
  
"T-the graveyard.....Bakura's grave.........." I close my eyes as the line of wetness dampens the pillow slightly, Yugi can sense my sadness. And I really don't care anymore. I can't lie to my light forever.  
  
"W-why were you there.....? I thought you hated Bakura..."  
  
"I loved him aibou.....I really did....."  
  
"Are you serious...?" He sounds pained...for me....at least he's not laughing.  
  
"Y-yes..."  
  
"I'm so sorry Yami...I didn't know...." I lose it then, start crying softly, but Yugi does his best to comfort me. He really is a good hikari, and slowly I slip into a sleep again. Not with that nightmare, a dream where Bakura was still here, but I have to get it through my head...that it can't happen like that. He can't return....  
  
  
If only tears could bring you back to me  
If only love could find a way  
What I would do, or give, if you returned to me  
Someday, somehow, somewhere...  
If my tears could bring you back.......  
  
  
You don't know how much I miss you...and it's only been a few days.  
  
  
.......to me.  
  
******  
  
  
  
Poor Yami!! Ok, maybe it was more OOC then I thought it would be...I continuously played this song while I typed this. For those who *don't* know, which is probably a lot...this song is from the first Pokemon Movie soundtrack. But it's a good song, you should listen to it if you haven't before. That was a long fic though, ne? Please review! I honestly think these two could make a couple, anyone else agree...? Or am I alone on this thought? Oh well, sympathize for the dead.....while I TRY and think of ideas for my other fics o.O Erk....damn writer's block..... 


	2. I See Your Eyes

You thought it was over, didn't you? Oh admit it! You believed I was going to uphold the thought of having a one-shot! HAHAHAHA! Nope, I just finally got a boost now to type, guess I'm bad at typing one-shots, because they never stay as one chapter. Oh well, here ya go, still in Yami's perspective.  
  
******  
Where did I ever go wrong? Ah, right, Egypt. I believe I had feelings for....Bakura then too, but of course, never showed them. Not a sign. He never noticed, I gave him more respect than anyone, but he just saw me as a curse.  
  
But that was Egypt, and this is now.  
  
I've gotten over my slight case of Hypothermia, but not Bakura. My aibou knows of, well, this matter I try dealing with each day. I'm glad he knows too, he's not a person I can lie too, and if he didn't know the truth, than I'd be lying everyday. Yes, everyday, every single day rain or shine or snow (hey, it can snow in Autumn), I'm by his grave for an hour or so. A tradition of mine.  
  
Pathetic, ne?  
  
Who cares. I've been "pathetic" many, many times in my two lives. Funny, how little of myself has changed over a Millennia, only the fact that I'm not as...dark...sadistic, the such, like I was in my past. And thank Ra.  
  
******  
My hands feel engulfed by the brisk cold water, yes...on my face too. Cupping the tan pair together and collecting the liquid within them. Molecules, matter, H²O, well, someone needs to pay attention while Yugi dozes off in science now, hm? Might as well be the one stuck in the soul room. Heh, doesn't bother me much.  
  
But back to the water, so soothing of a substance to my frail mind as I splash my face again before gazing up into the mirror, clear as day, my crimson eyes staring back at me. Maybe I should turn off the water...? No, no, that's too distracting.   
  
I can just stare at myself like this for awhile, it's almost noon now, how long should I stay like this..? My eyes and....wait....what... "the hell?!" I jumped back, falling against the wall behind me, shaking as I stare at my reflection, the once calm and cool eyes of mine, had turned downright frightened.   
  
But something else was there! Dammit something was! Wait, maybe it was just aibou...  
  
//Aibou...?//  
  
/Hai, Yami?/  
  
//Where.....where are you..?//  
  
/Don't you remember? I told you I was going over Ryou's today.../  
  
//Oh, right, right, don't worry then...// I acknowledge that he was not playing mind games on me, he would need to be in his soul room for that kind of trick. But then, what was it? The....the second image in the mirror...?   
  
"Come on...pull yourself together..." I whispered to myself, I was losing it! I SAW something else in that mirror with my reflection, and yet I don't even remember what I freaking saw!   
  
This is stupid.   
  
I stand off the ground and away from the wall, opening to move out into the hall, but instead I walked back into the bathroom and turned off the water. Now I move out of the room.  
  
Pacing.   
  
Pacing should be a sport, I'd be quite good at in, indeed. Mm...new talent of mine, I am the King of Games, after all. I will never lose that sense of strategy.   
  
But my pacing comes to an abrupt stop and I almost fall forward by how my body reacted before my mind. A shiver quaking down my very spine as if I weren't alone. What is WRONG with me?! This is starting to really penetrate my thoughts!   
  
"Who's there?!"  
  
"Yami...?"  
  
I blink. But....how? Why am I getting a shiver from...him? "Grandpa?" Ah, right, I forgot he was home, but isn't he supposed to be *in* the shop. He just gives me a quizzing stare, then moves over to grab a cup from the open kitchen and fill it with water.  
  
"I was just coming to get a drink, are you ok..?"  
  
I nod faintly. Gee, of course I'm fine, I just am seeing and feeling all these abnormal senses and talking to myself as I walk a hole in your floor, sure, everything is fine.  
  
Maybe I should refrain from saying that.  
  
"Hai...I'm fine."  
  
He returns my earlier nod, and turns to walk from the room to go back to work. I don't think he really believed me.  
  
Yet, I don't believe myself either.  
  
******  
Aibou is home, and I'm in the living room, doing just what I can do best. And no, it's not pacing.   
  
My light awhile ago introduced me to a game called Solitaire, interesting little figure of a game. Easy to beat too. He watches me, sitting across of the living room's main table, both of us on the floor.  
  
Hum, sixth game won in a row. What was my record so far? Ah, yes, fifteen. Only because I got tired and went to my soul room.  
  
"Yami, what number was that?"  
  
"Sixth, aibou."  
  
He nods, and I deal out the cards, trying to keep an angled sense of mind. Maybe I should teach him poker....no, with two people, that's hopeless. But of course! He brings up a subject without even thinking of it! I can tell that some of his brain cells have died recently because it doesn't phase him on what he says to me until it's too late!  
  
"Ryou went off on a subject of his yami today. Said he was hiding something, but he wasn't sure what. Said that nothing mattered to Bakura at all and he was actually glad to kill himself knowing that the world hated him. But Ryou didn't think that was true."  
  
I looked up from my game, the ace I was moving to its own little place set next to the ace of clubs dropped from my hands and my light simply stared confused at me. But his eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock of what he just said. Yet, he couldn't find a way to correct it.   
  
I stood from where I sat and began moving towards the stairs as I mutter, feeling Yugi's gaze follow after me. "Aibou, you may finish my game."  
  
"Yami...a-are you ok...?"  
  
"Ile."  
  
At least I was honest. I wasn't going to lie, there was no way I was ok by the means of aibou's words. My legs bring me up the stairs and I hear Yugi get up and start to follow me. In spite of that though, he is too slow for me, and I make it into my room. Yes, my room, I was lucky to have one, small and simple, but it was good enough for me. I closed the door, and locked it shut, finding my way to the nicely folded to perfection bed. Ah, now I can hear my little light knocking against the door, almost crying.   
  
"Gomen nasai, Yami! Please come out, I didn't mean to say that Yami, please come out of there and let me talk to you!"  
  
I shake my head to no one in particular and feel myself tremble ever so slightly. How I tried keeping cool most of the day, a normal state of mind like I did before *he* killed himself with that bare silver knife. Oh why aibou, why did you have to mention his name? Why is this happening to me all over again? The guilt, despair, sorrow.   
  
I miss him so much...  
  
"Onegai, Yami! Just hear me out, please, *please*!"  
  
I'm sorry aibou. Just leave me be.  
  
And he does, at a long lasting period of everlasting time. But in that time, I have found the tears that were hidden in my mind, I have found them and lost them from my empty crimson eyes, once again.  
  
******  
  
  
  
That was shorter than intended....oh well, don't worry, far from the end. I think. I donno . Too much thinking for me. But there were two signs in this of a "presence," could you figure 'em out? I'm taking advice from Yugilover13 of having Bakura sort of "haunt" Yami, but not actually purposely scaring the crap from the former ruler. Anyway, until later! (Sorry if Yami is kinda OOC, but what d'ya expect?) 


	3. Your Face Haunts Me

I think I've forgotten where I'm going with this....Meh. *Sigh*  
  
How can I type with perky music? Have any of you tried that? Never mind....listening to something from the anime movie Princess Mononoke, go get it and see it, it's really good. But it's some Techno Mix, or so it's called, found it off KaZaA...right then. And just to be really confusing, I'm going to stick random song lyrics in, at the end of the chapter I'll give a disclaimer of them all, lol.   
  
Oh and er, Yami's personality goes into a large change that you can't miss, but just a heads up.  
  
Warning: Uh, well you know the yaoi of this already, but be aware within the capture there will be one or two attempts of suicide.  
  
******  
I stayed curled as tightly as I could in the bed of mine, my body racking with tears. I clutch a pillow against my torso, head leaning into it. I notice my vision blurring, and not from tears. What's wrong? Am I sick? Am I going to die? If I die, can I see Bakura?  
  
What would I say to him, if I ever came face to face again...?  
  
But that can't happen, I shouldn't think of that. You're gone. From my eyes, my hearing, my touch, my smell, my taste, but not my mind. And not my heart.  
  
I just....wish I was with you....dammit I don't want to be HERE anymore! There is no damn point! Am I doomed to stay trapped here for the rest of my life, for the rest of my light's life?  
  
Damn all. Why am I still here?  
  
~*~  
No matter what the time   
I'm just alone   
Destiny forgotten   
I'm still living  
~*~  
  
At long last, I have left my sealed room. At two in the morning. Yugi is asleep, his grandfather is asleep, and I'm free to leave. Free. Are you free my dear friend? Do I have the right to call you my friend....?  
  
....No.....I don't....  
  
That hurts me too, the guilt surfacing as I leave my vessel's house. I treated you like shit. Full blown shit. Never looked or sounded like I respected you at all, just pure 24/7 hatred.  
  
"But that's not true!" My voice escaped my lips as my head collides with a tree. Yes, I meant to do that, my anger to be taken out on something. And here's a new formula for my aibou's algebra class!  
  
Head + Tree = Relief  
  
I harm my head against the tree again, the pain sinking in as it was much harder, even causing a trickle of blood to leak down my face and I sink to sit against the tree I offended. Does that please you Bakura? To see the man you thought hated you, who really loved you full-heartedly, get hurt?   
  
~*~  
"Wish I could prove I love you   
But does that mean I have to walk on water?"  
~*~   
  
I wish. But I have no sign that you are satisfied. Again, I stand, body quivering in the cool morning air, or night. What is two in the morning anyway? I see the time nearby, ok, so three in the morning. Dawn. Whatever, damn it doesn't matter! Why the hell am I so fickle over words lately?!  
  
Ah, probably because the three hardest words I ever wanted to say, never made it free. Freedom. Back to that matter now, hm? It's getting so tiresome to think of it. If I stay in this realm, this very planet, is there a point to it all? Only Yugi cares if I live or die and today, well, yesterday, he proved that he didn't think about my feelings much.   
  
If I stay here, I stay confined with guilt and sorrow. Regret and suffering. Fear and sadness. And I'll be alone, all alone in a world that seems to care nothing of me. So what is the damn fucking point?!  
  
I feel agitation rise and I stalk towards the local park, knowing the precise location of the lake with no problem. I see my reflection, and kick a stone into the water to see my image ripple, the anger surfacing.  
  
~*~  
Why don't I like the person I see?   
The one who's standing right infront of me  
Why don't I think before I speak?  
I should have listened to that voice inside me  
~*~  
  
So this is what it boils down to? To breath or not to breath? If I breath underwater, I die anyway. Good, no backing away now. I'm just a nuisance to this world anyway, my time was in Ancient Egypt, a whole freaking Millennia ago! Not now, I don't belong here now. I just don't....  
  
I took a breath, why, I don't know. I lay myself to the cold ground, mentally counting to three before depositing my head within the chilling liquid. I'll wait for more of an air loss before opening to the water. Let it draw out...let it torment my inner soul.   
  
~*~  
When the sun is gone I see you   
Beautiful and haunting, but cold   
Like the blade of a knife, so sharp and so sweet   
Nobody knows your heart  
~*~  
  
I give into my pulsing heart, opening my mouth against the will of my mind and jawbones to open the door for the water to fill the volume of my lungs.  
  
Not long now.  
  
But no, NO! Who?! Why?! Dammit!   
  
I feel myself lifted from the water, thrown against a tree and slapped. Hard. Definitely not Yugi. My ruby eyes open to a blurred image, mind unable to work completely right. Blonde. I see blonde. But...not Joey blonde....Malik...no, not the light. What?! Mariku?! What the hell why did *he* pull me out?!  
  
"M.....ari......ku.....?"  
  
Another slap across my face. "What in Ra's name were you thinking, Pharaoh?!"  
  
"Free.....ing........my s......soul......" I try focusing, but failed greatly, body trying to work coherently with the area around but miserably failing.   
  
"Is this about Bakura?" My eyes go wide at the question.  
  
"How did you-"  
  
"Easy. Remember, I was his 'partner' for raiding tombs in Egypt, I know him, and somehow I know you. It's an easy mask to see through. Obviously you had, well, have feelings for him. Must hurt you that he's dead now, hm?"  
  
"Shut up..." I manage to hiss, I don't need his foolish mocking. Amazingly he changes his tone of voice though.  
  
"Bakura wouldn't want you sulking over him, much less kill yourself."  
  
"He's probably happy."  
  
He grinned at the comment and hit my tired self again, moving on to the next topic. "Well then what about your hikari?"  
  
"I think my aibou cares more for your light than me," I simply responded, no emotion in my voice. Though in my mind it was kick ass to see his facial expression form from smirk to stunned than angered.  
  
"WHAT?!?"  
  
I merely smirk. Ra, Yugi better not have a thing for Malik. I move from him without another word, head still wet from my experience with water but who cares. I don't need him to tell me what to do, I never have before, so why bother with the bastard now? At this point in time, Yugi isn't even on my mind. Maybe I should seek mental help...  
  
~*~  
I'm starting to trip, I'm losing my grip  
And I'm in this thing alone.  
~*~  
  
I look out into the sky and realize just how late, or early, whatever...the sun is up now if the world gives a damn. Oh crap, Yugi is awake too, I can feel him trying to get through the wall I magically put between us. For reasons of what would happen if Mariku didn't ruin my happy time.   
  
Maybe I should just keep reminding myself...  
  
I don't need mental help, I don't need mental help, I don't....I give up. I need to go to the grave yard.  
  
******  
Ah yes, this is where I've been living most my days, by the gravesite of....*him*.  
  
"Damn you. Why did you have to die? Do you realize what kind of person I've become now? Do you at all? Do you even *care* what happens to me? No....no I guess not...." I sigh, I hate when I discover the open truth.   
  
I turn away, a short visit indeed, but they get shorter by the day, I fear I am welcoming myself towards the world of the dead. I've been on this planet too long, alone on this planet way too long at that.  
  
As I enter like a ghost into the main road, I run straight into a young teen who gathers herself then flicks a smile at me. Oh Ra, here we go now, this shall be mildly entertaining. I can see how she looks at me perfectly easy. Now how should I rid my troubles of this whore? Ah, she speaks.  
  
"Oh! I'm so sorry for running into you!"  
  
I'll play along for a bit. "No, no, really it was my fault," I smirk, though she doesn't notice as I place a steady hand on her face to caress the cheek covering her jawbone. Hm, yes, entertaining how her face turns to surprised to "this seems fun."  
  
Yes, yes, my definition for her stands out boldly now.  
  
"Oh, sir, you seem so very nice....could you....do me a favor?"  
  
Hide the smirk, if I smirk it ruins my current train of fun. "And what would that be, miss?"  
  
"See....my strap here....it's too tight....." She signals to her shoulders and I slip my hand down on it to massage the spot, her eyes lolling in the back of her head.:: "Oh....could you just, help me with it...?"  
  
"Certainly," I smirk at the joy on her face, but do something unsuspected. Throw her into the ground, hard. She landed painfully, oddly, a trace and sliver of a cut down where her head had hit. I simply sneer down at her manically. "Whore."  
  
And I turn, walking off leaving her there, getting a good distance away.  
  
"Why..."  
  
And then I freeze, turning my head to the sound I heard behind me but seeing no one. Not a soul. "Who's there?! Mariku, is that you?!"  
  
"Why..."  
  
Ok, now I'm scared. Yes, scared, I had my fun and now I'm back to being pitiful. My body falls against a street lamp, eyes darting around to try and find the source of the speaker, wishing it to go away, honestly I wished it left me alone...  
  
"Why..."  
  
"Go away!!" I cry out, falling to the ground, palms tightly over my ears but the sound leaks into my mind bringing an image along with it. No....no it can't be.....  
  
Sounds follow with it, swarming the questioning of "why" with random noises, clocks, trains, sirens. Why can't I just be left in piece?! Why is this happening to me?!  
  
~*~  
The tick tock of the clock is painful   
All sane and logical   
I want to tear it off the wall   
~*~  
  
I find myself crying, head held against the ground.  
  
"Bakura...why are you doing this too me....."  
  
******  
  
  
  
Aw, how sweet. Ok, so one suicide attempt. Er, just a warning there will be one more, but I won't ruin what happens there. You'll like it though, damn I wish I could draw so I would have a picture with it....arg, oh well. If you couldn't figure it out, Mariku is the darker half of Malik and yes Yami did half a dark moment here, lol, sorry, that part was just kind of random. Anyway, here is the list of where all the song quotes came from in order:  
  
Hikari *Translated*: Kingdom Hearts (Hikari Utada)  
Simple and Clean: Kingdom Hearts (Hikaru Utada)  
Mirror, Mirror (M2M)  
Princess Mononoke Theme: Princess Mononoke  
Losing Grip (Avril Lavigne)  
Inside Out (Eve 6)   
  
Now back to work! Dun, dunnnn! Hehe, Ja! 


	4. Redefined, Rediscovered, Recovered

Poor Yami, I torment him often, which makes him an odd muse. I started this on Election Day, damned people were all lined up with their little signs in the back of our school (which serves as a main entrance to the third *top* floor) trying to support their person. It's sheer stupidity if you ask me, though, my science teacher said something like "16% of the population votes, therefore 16% of the people of the state run your life." Interesting, thank you Mrs. Hagen. Um....right then, I'll just start then.  
  
Warnings: Same deal as last chapter. Yaoi and a much larger attempt of suicide, don' worry though....I love the turn out of it ^^  
  
******  
If someone asks me how I moved from being on the ground, to my room, I won't be able to answer. It wasn't Yugi, his grandfather had to take him to a Duel Monsters which if I had been around at the time, I would have gone too. Least the house is myself.  
  
Just myself.  
  
All alone.  
  
They left me all alone by myself in a house with sharp objects in the kitchen. Mm...thank you everyone for that nice treat. Yes, my death wish is still in my mind.  
  
I wonder if I were here when the two Motou's had left on such short notice if I really would have gone. No, probably not, now that I think of it, probably would have had me stay and watch the shop. Probably left me a note somewhere in the house saying I should watch the shop. Probably.  
  
Or maybe not.  
  
I search dumbfounded through the means of the house, staying away from the kitchen and the toys within. But damn, nothing is around. The shop is closed, and no notes in there left for little, old, ancient me anyway.  
  
So that leaves one place.  
  
The kitchen.  
  
******  
I enter the room, staring around as I sigh, plucking a large piece of paper off the refrigerator and seating myself comfortably at the kitchen table. The handwriting is of Mr. Motou, easy to define because it's sloppy made:  
  
Dear Yami,  
I have no idea when you'll be home to read this, we've been worried  
of your sudden random disappearances, but nevertheless, I hope you  
get this soon. Just at this day, I have gotten called out to a Duel   
Monsters Convention, and I was needed to bring Yugi with me   
(though he was much unwilling).-  
  
"Oh, I'm sure he was," I rolled my eyes, somehow I doubt Yugi was "unwilling" to go to this convention. The great one who defeated Pegasus was needed to attend I bet, and yet I get no credit? Yeah, I'm sure he was thrilled to be in the spot light, as long as it was away from me.  
  
Yet something urges me to continue reading.  
  
It would have been an honor to have you with us, if you weren't   
assisting my grandson, I would still be a card. Though, I do have   
a favor to ask....Since you most unfortunately couldn't be here at   
our time of leaving, may you watch over the shop? I'm sure you   
have other things to be doing, Yugi and I will be gone for three   
days...maybe four, so opening the shop one of those days is much   
appreciated. I wish you well, Yami, and arigatou.   
Ja ne,  
Grandpa  
  
I stare blankly at the note, as if someone shot an arrow through my heart. What was I expecting? I knew he would ask for me to do the shop, so why am I so angry...? So shocked? ARG! Dammit!  
  
I slam my fist against the table, muttering my favorite curses followed by an angered comment. "Wish me well my ass..." I shuffle back to a drawer by the refrigerator and open it, pulling something out before storming for some odd reason back to my room, closing and locking the door.   
  
No one was in the house, so why I locked the door, I have no bloody idea.  
  
I collapse to the floor, eyes closed as I take off my jacket and roll up my shirt sleeve, fingers brushing over the hilt of the gripped utensil. Now my eyes are clenched, the burning feeling erupting from behind them.  
  
Bakura.  
  
I hope you wanted it like this.  
  
I hope you liked seeing me suffer. Hell, you're probably laughing from where you are to see my weakness. My display of trying to kill off my frail body.  
  
I hope I gave you some joy. You shouldn't have died, like you did, you didn't deserve it and I'm sorry. "I'm so damn sorry..."  
  
******  
The knife in my hold is shaking. Wait, no, that's just me.   
  
A sigh. My sigh in fact, the last one I get out until I cringe in pain, realizing my nerves had pushed the blade deep against my wrist. My voice let's out a cry, feeling the heat and coldness all at once of the crimson (yet really purple) bile of my blood leak over the hand holding the knife as I remove it, and make another slice, embracing the pain.   
  
"I-is this what I d-deserve....?"  
  
Who the hell am I talking to?  
  
I cry out again, third cut, oh look, I see a triangle in my skin.  
  
Fourth.  
  
And fifth. I'll die soon enough.  
  
Six, and, damn what the hell that hurts!  
  
I cry out, the stained knife falling from my shaking grip as I stare at my arm in sheer terror. It's not the fact of what I did *to* it that scares me, it's what is happening to it *now* that scares me.  
  
The skin is pulling together, the blood that scattered around me REENTERING my body and the gashes sticking themselves together. Still trembling, I take the now clean knife in my hand and make a new cut, moving the blade up slightly to see that heal as well.   
  
Another one. Ah! Good! That one isn't healing i-  
  
Damn. I cry out in anger, unable to kill myself! "Why in Ra's name is this happening to me?!" I hold the knife over my chest with both hands, gritting out through my teeth. "Try healing this!" And the knife descends, but hardy even breaks my shirt's fabric, something is literally holding me back. In a wind of range the knife is across the room and in a wall as I break into tears, head buried in my clean arms. "Why can't I die?! Who up there or below hates me so damn much to make me suffer alone in this lifetime?!"  
  
"No one hates you."  
  
I freeze, tears now silently falling without the sounds of my whimpers. I look over at my closed window, then to my door which is still locked. I'm hearing voices, no one is in the room...  
  
"And you are not alone."  
  
"W-who's there?!" I literally shout, feeling my body pulled to my feet by some force I cannot pinpoint. My vision blurs momentarily and I see a form glowering before me, a gray aura surrounding the body and I nearly fall over unstably again. The figure reached a pale hand up, and touched my face and I felt a warm and secure feeling from it. Amazing, my mouth works now. "B-B-Bakura......? H-how...?"  
  
"By form of the dead, thy spirit unwilling to die."  
  
I turn away from his face, so soft and addicting to look at, but I can't show my weakness as I speak out, still looking away.   
  
"Why are you here than."  
  
"Because I found someone who seems to have a deep sense of caring for me..."   
  
I turned my head slowly to face him, shocked and confused all at once. He notices this though and starts talking. "Why the hell would you want to kill yourself...?"  
  
"I'm alone.."  
  
"And I wasn't?!" Wow, he seems so....depressed.... "I went through each day, no matter how I tried, I was ignored like a street rat. My own *light* was against me. You.....you have friends Yami, even if you don't see that, see how much they care for your well being....I don't.."  
  
"I care for you," my mouth hangs open in shock, I hadn't meant to say that. Dear Ra.... but he's not phased....  
  
"I know. That's one of the reasons I am before you now. I thought though, after Mariku stopped you from drowning, that you wouldn't take another attempt from your life...."  
  
I hang my head and look off at the side, then moving my gaze upwards slightly to gaze at the knife in the wall. "How did you know Mariku stopped me...?"  
  
"I've been on this planet in this form since a day after I killed myself. Mariku, as you know or didn't, had been out of town and I lurked in the shadows by him for so long until showing myself, seeing him miserable of my death. He returned to Domino City while I searched around where he had been. I had a corrupted feeling in my chest and it led to you, and I told him to find you, where ever the hell you were as I returned to the city as well. I had been within it a few times, and I'm sorry if I had scared you, confused you even from one time-"  
  
"Wait...." I pause, piecing something together as he looks at me blankly. "Did you move me from the ground yesterday, to my room....?"  
  
He just nods.  
  
And it all makes sense. I saw his eyes in the mirror, I felt his presence in the living room, I heard his voice calling the one worded question of "why" to me, and he.....he healed my cuts that I tried to die from....  
  
"It was all me Yami. I didn't want you to suffer, like you though I did. It hurt hearing you think those words, I could hear your thoughts in this state, heard them so easily that you couldn't believe. And that made matters worse. I don't want to be like this, Yami, I don't....I....." I hear his voice pause, go low, and soft. Why..? "I want to be with you."  
  
My eyes fill in awe, then sorrow as all seems to crash down in a wave of hopeless darkness. "But....how....?"  
  
"Mariku already has searched the library of the town he was previously in, I believe he is in Domino's now...will you......will you help me obtain a body again....?"  
  
"Of course!" I nearly yelled, probably surprised him, but, there was a chance, a chance that I could love him, when we are both as one! This is the happiest I've felt for the longest of times, I'm not alone anymore, even if Bakura doesn't have a solid form.... "I'll do anything.."  
  
"Then I'll meet you at the library.."  
  
So be it.  
  
******  
  
  
  
Ok, so maybe that was kinda cheesy, ne? Basically, Mariku (Yami Malik) and Yami are going to try and find a spell to maintain Bakura's "ghost" in a solid form. Fun, hm? Election day was yesterday (only took me a day to type this!) and Sununu won over Gene Shahene (don't expect me to spell). I could care less, the people with the evil signs are away from my school and all is at peace. Well. Kind of. I have to present a history project tomorrow! Wahhh!!! o.O;; Ra save me... 


	5. Crossings

I haven't updated this in quite awhile, but Amphitrite has been giving me a boost off of the poems that have been written to go with this. That and I finally figured what I wanted to do, I actually have a lot mapped in my mind again. Funny what a shower can do.

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Shinkou is mine,

************

It's hard to think, that as I approach the Domino Library, the reasons I'm here. There's only two, to meet up with Mariku, and with both of us....bring the one I love back.

As a....ghost, I can tell his attitude has gravely changed. No pun intended. But maybe it was like that when he was alive, and I was just too self centered to notice. I wanted to help him...I really did! Now I have a second chance.....I have to bring him back! 

I stand before the closed doors on the steps, staring at them and my hand hovered over a door knob. Why am I so....paranoid?! I guess it's the guilt still sifting through me, I mean...how am I suppose to go like this....knowing that I'm one of the main reasons he died in the first place...?

"It wasn't just you."

I flinch, looking around, yet seeing no one, but I remember when I heard Bakura before, meaning he was SOMEWHERE near. Just not revealing himself. I don't really blame him, actually. I hear him again, his tone lower as if upset when I begin opening the door.

".....Sorry......you're mind is an open book though.....when I'm in this form......"

"It's not your fault," I mutter out, walking through a row of books to search for Mariku. He had to be around, hopefully not slacking either. I was Pharaoh after all, I don't preen towards that sort of style of "work" as a way of putting it. 

"Check the Resources section."

I give a slight nod, yet still clueless. "Any idea where that may be..?"

"Talk through your thoughts, Yami. You're being stared at."

"What?" I blink and indeed, there a few people sitting around tables looking at me, I look to where I believe Bakura is "cloaked" from vision and don't understand what he means. "Can't anyone else hear you...?"

"Iie, only you and Mariku can."

"Oh." I try to figure through the matters, think with my thoughts? Is that like...my mental link with Yugi...?

"Something like that."

"This is confusing, Bakura..." I bite my lip, trying to put an effort in before something finally clicked together and I found myself finding a way to talk to him when I actually NEED to. \ Something like....this? \

\\ Yes. \\

I jump and nearly fall into a book cart, the woman pushing at it giving me an odd look, I think she was one who heard me talk to Bakura. Or in her eyes.... air. "You can get a book on Scitsofrenia in the Health section." I glare at her and keep walking, it's not _MY _fault I wasn't used to having Bakura's voice right smack in my head! I've been used to Yugi's alone, and even that feeling has dimmed the past few weeks...

\\ I didn't mean to scare you. \\

\ I understand....just got....surprised... \

I swear on my heart I could feel him, in my soul. Maybe we're like....bonded, I mean, I could live with that. Easily. But what I do feel, I don't like at all. He seems so...weighted down, I just wish I could do something.

Damn. I wish I could hold him.

At last I make it to the Resource section and catch a certain Egyptian's back, moving swiftly and slowly up behind the other, who sat smack in the middle of the row, two piles of books besides him and one in his lap as it was. I'm guessing the smaller stack of books are the ones he's read. "Mariku." I mutter, but I don't get his attention one bit. Maybe a different approach then, ne? 

My puzzle takes on a large glow, I feel Bakura wince a bit as if in pain, even though I don't think his form was really near, but momentarily ignore it as the Eye of Ra shines across my forehead. 

That sure got the other's attention. 

I watch him in two movements get off the floor, spin around, and stare almost panicked at me. Back to Bakura though, my puzzle still glowing faintly as it mellowed off to its normal look. \What happened...?\

\\ N-nothing... \\

I nip my lip again, knowing he was lying but didn't push it as he spoke out to the other. "I came to help with the research.."

"Is Bakura here...?"

"Hai, I'm here..." the voice seemed weak and I was growing agitated because I had no idea why! 

"Bakura, tell me what's wrong!"

"I said I'm f-fine..."

Mariku shook his head and sighed, drawing my attention when he pulled out the Millennium Rod and held it before him. I feel Bakura wince again, as if panic the other yami is doing this and I look to the side to see his ghastly form showed shaking on the ground, dim, but he was there. My eyes darted between the two and Bakura starts to choke out through tears towards Mariku, the rod beginning to glow.

"M-Mariku...don't....please....by Ra.....don't......."

"Don't what?! Bakura! What is it!?" My heart clenches as my love seems to curl in pain and I glare straight to Mariku, who finally places the rod away and looks over at Bakura. The other seemed to be able to relax and shape back into the air.

The blonde stares in an as-a-matter-of-fact way, yet voice solemn. "Any of the Millennium powers, namely the Shadow powers hurt him. I'm not sure why, but they absolutely _hurt _him."

"But that means..." I falter as I realize Bakura was hurting earlier. "Oh god, Bakura I'm sorry!"

We both sense him nod in acknowledgment, but nothing more. I can't believe I did that! What if it had some how...taken him away from us?! And it would be my fault and mine alone this time!

\\ Yami, please you must relax, you didn't know! I'm better now, really! \\

\ But- \

\\ Hush. \\

I mumble something lightly before sighing, looking a bit guilty still but Mariku drags my thoughts to something new. He's kind of amusing when excited. "I found something!!"

"What?" Bakura and I call out at the same time as Mariku stand quickly, I followed him as he left his pile of books and moved to a table, slamming it down and gazing all "starry-eyed" at the open pages. "Mariku _what _did you find?!"

"Shush, Pharaoh," I glare at him for calling me by my title and I look across towards a near table with some kid staring at me. Again with the glaring at Mariku.

"_Don't _address me like that in a public place!"

"Whatever," he scoffed, a tan finger skimming down the page of some whacked out language. I nearly choked on my own saliva when he had reached out and grabbed my hair, forcing my head down to look at the pages of the book. "Look! It's a ritual, challenge kind of thing…..but if it goes right, Bakura will be 'alive' again!"

"If you kill Yami, I'm going to spook your sorry little Egyptian ass," I heard Bakura hiss from somewhere behind us. I take it he wasn't too happy for Mariku trying to force my head in directions it wasn't designed to go. "Now explain what you mean by this little ritual thing…"

"It seems like it involves tests between two people, which in your case it's you and Yami. If all….three I think it is….are passed, then Bakura will be revived….if not….well…." He flipped the page and I literally fell over at the sight that spread over two pages. 

"You're kidding me!"

"Skull and crossbones tell no lies," Mariku murmured and sighed, looking towards me and where Bakura had shown his face again. "Is this what you both are willing to go through? Nothing in this speaks on the **kind **of tests that would be strained against you both…"

"I'm dead already, I see no problem on my part," I lowered my gaze away as I watched the transparent russet eyes lock on me, not trying at all to hide how uneasy I was feeling. I think Bakura sensed my distress, after all he did call me an open book to him, so it was a little hard not to hide how I was thinking of this. 

\\ Yami, you don't have to do this. \\

\ But what about you….? \ 

I heard him sigh and here I went feeling guilty again. 

\\ I'm used to being dead by now Yami…I just…. \\ He didn't finish, I didn't want him to finish because I knew what the answer was going to be. He wanted to be with me, I could _feel _that was his answer the moment he had started talking. I glanced up towards Mariku, smiling as best I could. "I'm go for it, Mariku. Anything we need for it?"

I watched as he turned back a page, putting the "skull and crossbones" out of my vision once again. He seems to sigh as he takes in the information and my brows twist inwardly. "All our hikaris will be needed….and one or two others, I think it can vary, but definitely we need one other…. Ryou and Yugi to support both your souls, Malik to support myself while I do the chanting and one other to sustain everything."

"Who else are we going to find?" Bakura whispered.

"We need someone who's been involved with the dead…"

"Oh no…" I feel theirs stares on me and I look back up. "That would have to be Seto Kaiba."

"Why?"

"He was the High-Priest, Mariku, you don't remember?"

"No."

I rolled my eyes and then suddenly sighed. "He will never agree to helping. I'm pretty positive that he hates each one of us. Unless you want to drug him or something of the sort…"

\\ I would have never thought you to be one to suggest that. \\ Bakura murmured through my mind, floating so he was just above the table, looking behind him at the boy that had seemed to jump at the word 'pharaoh' earlier, which would make sense considering he was reading a book on Egypt. The ghost-spirit shook his head a bit, turning back towards the book on the table with the ritual, missing a glint in the boy's eyes. I said nothing on it. If I was reading about my home, my eyes would be glinting as well. \\ That kid was looking at us again.\\

\ Don't be so paranoid, what, he's probably….eight? Nine? \ I shrugged it off without a care, watching Mariku stand and leaving a bookmark on our pages, closed it and headed for the front desk. We followed him a bit after when he took longer than planned, I found out why by the slew of Egyptian curses. 

"What do you mean you won't let me check the book out?!" 

"I'm sorry, sir, but books from the reference section can not be checked out."

"Watch me check _you _out!" I gulped when I just cleared the rows of shelves and came into the opening near the counter. It was as I had guessed, Mariku had already drawn out the Millennium Rod and had it pointed threateningly towards the librarian. I run at him, pulling him away before he used any energy on the woman and growled in his ear.

"Don't you even _dare_!"

"But we need the book!"

I knew Bakura was near and had to search my eyes hard to see him hanging off near the side, mentally sending him a "buzz" to get his attention. \ Not trying to be rude, but can you kinda sorta move a good distance from here? \ I felt an odd feeling off his body and he seemed a bit hurt, yet I nudged my head towards the rod and I think it clicked in his mind why he needed to move.

Once he was gone, I backed away from Mariku and finally allowed a smirk to roll over my lips. "Now Mariku, you may use the rod."

"Whatever."

************

Somehow I guess being Seto Kaiba's rival meant I'm the one to try and drag him out of the house and use him to help us. This….wasn't going to be too easy. Mariku and Bakura went to go set up the needed tasks and things, gathering the extra people as well. And here I am, standing on the elder Kaiba's colorless doormat and trying to find what the heck I should say. Or do for another matter.

I sighed, raising my hand and pushing the doorbell, waiting. The door opened and I had to look down to actually see anyone. Mokuba, the youngest out of the two… His eyes widen brightly and he smiles, obviously surprised. "Yami! What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk with your brother."

He nodded and led me into the house, closing the door behind us and running into what I'm figuring was the living room. I follow a bit slower before stopping in the doorway, faltering when Mokuba sat onto a couch that Seto had been leaning against from the floor. They were…..playing Mouse Trap….

"Big brother, Yami came to talk to you."

The azure eyes snapped up, wide and then cold right pressed on me, glaring. I gulped despite myself, coughing a bit before voicing myself. "Ne….hey, Kaiba…"

"What do _you_ want?"

"Mariku, Bakura, and myself need your help."

"Bakura is _dead_."

"Oh and you think I don't know that?" I sneered, glowering up and Kaiba when the other stood. "And he's not going to be for long if you leave this house right now with me and HELP!"

"Why should I? And what're you trying to force me into doing anyway?"

"We need you to help us with a spell to restore Bakura. It would take him and I somewhere for three tests, we pass them all, he comes back." I folded my arms, stating it simple and plain, leaving out the small part of **death **if we fail, but he doesn't seem to really falter at all. I heard him ask why I cared so much about Bakura and I nearly lunged at him, but somehow managed to stay still as I shouted. "Because I'm in love with him you self-centered dumb ass!"

"Oh, ouch" he smirks, still remaining unfazed. 

I growled, now I was getting real close to choking him. I reach into my pocket, fumbling at my deck and pulled a card out, holding it out face up towards him. My eyes narrow in a serious manner, referring to him with his first name to help with effect. "Seto, I **need **your help. If I have to bribe you for such a thing, I _will_. You KNOW how much I believe in this card and that it's one of the ways I always beat you in our duels with. Dammit, Seto, take the damn card and **help us**!"

"Hn, the Dark Magician? This is mine if I help you all?"

"Yes."

He pricked the card out of my grasp and I lowered my arm as he slid it in his pocket. 

"Fine then, I will help you."

\\ You gave him your Dark Magician…....? \\

I started a bit, turning and looking around before I pinpointed a surprised Bakura that must have just slid in _through_ the door. My body shifts a bit and I throw him a smile, ignoring the crazy looks I'm getting from Mokuba and Kaiba. \ Yes, I did. \

\\ But that's your most…...prized card..… \\

\ That may be true, Bakura. \ I still smile, lowering my head and closing my eyes, voice never losing its softness. \ But it would be worth it, if you were alive again. \

\\ Yami..…. \\ He sounds surprised, which doesn't bother me. It's always better then calling me stupid or insane, or any other words that would hurt more from his mouth than anyone else's. "Well, come on, Kaiba. We'd like to start as soon as possible."

\\ And I'm getting impatient. \\

"And Bakura's getting impatient," I say with a smirk.

"Oh? And you know this _how_?" He scoffed after telling Mokuba to go upstairs, starting for the door. I laugh and move out in the lead, Bakura at my side and I refuse to answer the CEO. It just wouldn't be as much fun that way. 

************

"Motou! Where the hell did you put the bag of candles my Aibou came in with?!"

"Malik never gave me any candles." 

I open the front door of the Ishtar residence and blink at the sounds within, and how it looked. The place actually looked….normal. Funny, I would have figured it would be like some crypt like place or at least have black walls and blood marks everywhere. But no, the walls were white, the carpet was a light blue and the tiles in the small kitchen off the living room were a pearly color. 

\\ Just wait to see their basement. \\

I gulped at that and thought to myself on it. It had to be a pretty big basement, technically their home was only one floor, but the basement made two and going by the houses dimensions, it was wide and long. I jumped back when someone stepped in front of me, Isis in fact. "Pharaoh." She gave me a bow and I mumbled quietly not to call me that, but I doubt she heard me. "Follow me." Follow her _where_ exactly? I sighed as she turned, and moved after her, watching Bakura go….through the floor. Great, that was a rather….odd sight. He winks at me when only his head is up before sliding all the way down and I feel a bit sick to my stomach at that sight. 

She lead me into the kitchen where I saw Ryou laying on the counter, the Millennium Ring resting in his hands. He looks up at her, and then to me with a smile. "Arigatou, Yami."

"Huh? Why? What did I do?"

"You're bringing him back."

"He's here, technically."

"What? Where?" I watched as Ryou nearly fell off the counter and Isis had to stable him before grabbing a box of matches of the refridgerator. I blink when she pulls me away and out to the kitchen, yelling back to the other that Bakura went in the basement or something. I grumble and break her grip as she leads me down the stairs. 

"Oh, by the way, Pharaoh…" I tilt my head at her odd tone of voice. "We brought your cousin here." Huh? What the heck is she talking about?

"I have a cousin…?"

"Yeah, dumb ass," I hear someone spit and look up as we get to the bottom of the stairs and blink silently. The brunette, definitely not Seto though I think could somehow relate, gives me a short look before snatching the matches out of Isis's hands and looking over them. "What are these for?"

"The candles."

He shrugs and moves into the basement and we follow and hell….Bakura was right! This is definitely…unusual… There's a huge crimson painted circle in the center of the floor, a silver star in the center or it. Around the outside there are three wooden boxes that an imaginary line could form a triangle between them. Going back to the large circle (trust me, it's huge), inside other than the small painted star there are three more boxes. Huh, I guess we're almost set. "Where _are _the candles, Shinkou?" I hear Isis mutter in a bit of worry.

His hazel eyes dart around to us again and he chuckles softly. "We don't need them."

"But the ritual -"

"Says we need open flame. I have it covered, Isis."

I look between the two but say nothing as I hear something behind me, that something being Mariku leading Malik, Yugi, Ryou, and finally Seto all down here at once. 

\ Bakura, where _are _you? \

\\ Besides Mariku. \\

I blink and watch him come into my gaze and shake my head with an apology that I hadn't seen him. Mariku and….ah…Shinkou move into the front of the circle, Mariku with the book we "borrowed" from the library. 

"Alright, if anyone wants to back out, now is the time to do so. But at this rate that'd waste time - so everyone get your asses in here!" That's Mariku for you, always so _demanding_. But…we really have no choice. I watch everyone around me move in around the room, looking around with clueless expressions and I **really** don't blame them. 

Shinkou walks up to me, a teal trench coat that's style resembled Kaiba's covering over jeans and a black shirt as he seems to observe me. "Hn, you have absolutely no idea who I am, do you?" I falter a bit and look away, feeling like I should but…I've never seen this other before… "Don't worry about it, you wouldn't remember me, we met once or twice in Egypt, but that's about it."

"What -"

He holds up a hand and smiles to stop me from talking, turning and walking back to leave me in confusion as Mariku points out where he wants everyone. 

"Alright, Kaiba I want you on that far corner box, Malik and myself will take one of the opposing two. Ryou and Yugi, in the each of you take the two boxes besides each other that are closest to Kaiba, Isis take the final box. Shinkou, front and center." I watched Mariku set the book aside as everyone went to where they were told, and Bakura and I were still left with no place to stand for the ritual. 

But….wait a second I thought… "Mariku! Aren't _you _performing the spell?"

"Well I was going to, but I would need to use that book, and well when we found Shinkou - he said he knows the spell, so we just switched places that's all." I roll my eyes and then fold my arms and he seems to catch the rest of what was on my mind. "Ah, right, you and Bakura -"

"Yami, you and Bakura sit in front of your hikaris' boxes," Shinkou answers impatiently and I nod to Bakura who floats to sit by Ryou and I move to sit in front of Yugi. 

"See you in one piece, I hope soon," I reach a hand towards Bakura but it slips through his own and he tries to smile but it comes out faded and I try to reassure him with my own. "I promise that we won't fail."

"I know."

Mariku smiles towards us and I try not to laugh nervously. 

"Everyone! Silence! There's someone's life to restore here."

We all quiet down and it's suddenly completely black and I can't see anything except maybe some of Bakura's hair and Shinkou as a magenta flame engulfs his body.

I think that Shinkou spoke something, but I can't quite tell as his back is towards me, but it had to be him considering his hands are now radiating with a fiery orange. I understand why he didn't want candles, he found some way to suspend fire in small flames around the circle before he starts to chant. I…don't….like this too much….

\ Bakura…? \

I start and want to jump up to see if he's ok but some darkness is thickening over my body and I can't move. \ Bakura! Answer me! \ He's….no….what's happening?! Why can't I talk to him?! What if we've already messed something up?! If I've lost you Bakura……no! _No_! I refuse to believe he's not here….he has to be here! He - he…..Bakura…..

I feel myself crying and I can't do a thing about it.

My mind….ow…….shit…..what's going on…….?

The flames that Shinkou had created are gone and I feel my body float up, getting a glimpse at everyone's faces and I'm pretty sure I let loose a scream somewhere in the mess of things, but my body jerks and it really doesn't matter if I screamed or not. 

All I remember is my body falling through the floor.

************

There. Happy? You all better be! Longest chapter yet, I believe. Nine pages long, size ten font. Lol, oh and if the personalities of a character changed….ah, well, what do you expect? I haven't done this in awhile. 

The thing in the beginning with the Millennium items was screwy, I know, that was written when I first started this awhile ago and I didn't want to change it. Hehe. Hopefully the next chapter won't be up in what….how many months did it take? Ah…..oh my god…..**6 months**! I'm so sorry that took so long! 


	6. First Test

For lack of a better chapter title. But I'm working on the story so if anyone complains about names of chapter, Yoh and Amidamaru will chase you with shamanish powers. Bwaha.

Yoh: Um…right…. *Yawns*

Damn… Oh well, starting next chapter without talking much.

Warnings: Ah…no lemon, but I guess minor lime… .;; It's not that bad, but I figured I'd say something.

************

I groan and roll over, body curling against the cold ground as I refuse to open my eyes. Why _is _it so cold in here? Or wherever here is for that matter, I know I wasn't laying on the ground when the spell started. Good, there's part of my memory. Ah…but wait…I started to float and then went… 

Am I a ghost too?! I went through the floor! No….not a ghost, I'm not passing through anything else. Then again I still haven't opened my eyes still, so I guess I could be falling through the layers of the world, but that I think I'd be able to _feel_.

"Yami!"

Hmm….?

"Yami get up! I know you're alive!"

Who's there?

"Dammit, Yami!" I feel someone shake me and snap out of it, opening my eyes and look at the person holding me by the shoulders. And I don't see through that person. "Bakura!" My voice echoes, but screw that, I don't care and launch at the other, arms going around the other. "How are you solid? How are you alive?"

"It must be part of the ritual…" 

"Indeed, that is true."

We look up at the voice that just spoiled our embrace. My mouth drops and I can feel Bakura tense as he helps me stand fully off the ground. "Y-You're the boy from the library…." I whisper as the boy short in height and black hair smiles at us. I….don't like this. "But how? You weren't in the house, you weren't even apart of the ritual…How _old _are you….?"

"Older than you."

"Impossible kid, we're over a Mill-" Bakura starts but the smirking boy, pale face brightening, cut him off.

"As am I. Older than that."

"You're _nine _or something though!" Bakura argues, I stay silent for good reason, trying to make sense of this before Bakura does something stupid. I guess when he's not a ghost, our mental connection doesn't exist.

"Nine millenniums."

"_What_? How?!"

"That doesn't matter as of this time. Are you both ready to start, or not?" I get it now, I think…

"So you're here to test us. That book from the library we took was yours and wasn't there until you came. You were reading that book on Egypt, that's why you had that glint in your eyes because you knew that we'd show up here soon enough…" I tighten a hand around Bakura's and he gives slight pressure back.

"Yes."

"Well I'm ready to get started," Bakura whispers but I really don't think he meant that answer. We didn't even need to say anything else, this kid - or - ancient…**thing** just suddenly vanished and I felt pulled away from Bakura, ending up on the ground. Again. He's in the same state and I stumble to try and get to him as the ground swirls, the darkness thickening more than before. "Yami!"

"Bakura, hold on, I'm coming!" I reach out, standing slightly, but somehow tripped and he was gone again. "No! Bakura!" Don't leave me alone in the darkness again….Please….I don't want to be alone! Help… 

What if he's alone too? Bakura…. "I'll find you somehow!"

"You don't need to do that…" I hear a voice whisper and turn around, seeing no one, but I feel arms around my chest and pull me against whoever it was. The form wasn't Bakura, and that's all that mattered. "I'll stay with you, Yami.." Crap! It's Seto! _Why _is Seto here and h-holding **me**?! 

"Kaiba, let go, **_now_**!"

"Mmm….don't want to…" I cringe as he licks at my ear, struggling to free myself while he straddles me. "We aren't really rivals, Yami…I just like to piss you off because your face contorts to be _very _sexy…" His hand is on my waist, feeling around at my shirt to try and move it and I cry out to get away. Why is he doing this?! And NOW of all times?! His tongue moves from my ear and trails along my jawbone until he finds my lips. I try to turn around, but he bites and nibbles onto my lower lip, making it bleed. I can taste it…and feel it trailing down onto my chin. 

"Bakura…" I whimper as he starts to assault my inner mouth. The hand not on my waist pulls behind my neck, digits of his fingers tapping down certain parts of my spine to send shivers that I **don't **want. Bakura where are you?! Help… I can't…

"Why do you need him when you have me?" Seto sneers, kissing at my neck roughly as his hands start to lower and I finally gain enough control to kick him in the face and jump away. 

"You bastard! I already told you, I **_love _**him, not YOU!" I growl, wiping my chin of the blood before turning to run into the entry of the darkness. I know I'm shaking and stumbling, but I don't think anyone can blame me. Being _assaulted _by Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corp is not something I want happening to me! If that was the first test, I hate to know what the rest is. 

************

"Yami!" 

"Oh, god, Bakura!" I run towards him, a light glowing over him, but I failed to care. It was nothing to worry about right now. 

"Don't come here!" What was he talking about? Why should I not come over there? I try to voice the question but a sound sweeps passed my ears and I pivot to try and find the source. "Yami, get out of here, now!!" 

"What's wrong…?"

"**_GO_**!"

I gulp and he seems to be gone, but I can still hear his voice…or voices….telling me to save him. Them. Whatever. The volume of the voices increase, forcing me to cover my ears with my arms, shouting for them to leave me alone. It wasn't working. "Why is this happening?! What the hell is going on?!" It was mental breakdowns all over again, it felt like something was pulling me in all directions, calling my name in different tones of voice - but still it was the same voice. Just that voice times a million. "What's going on?!" I cry out again, expecting one of the voices to answer, though I receive no such luck. 

"Can you find him?"

I snapped my eyes up, looking through the dark area carefully to find this new voice, seeing the boy again. 

"You again!" 

"Mmm hm…" He looked around, casually folding his arms. "Your test has already started what are you doing just standing there?"

"Test? Already…? I don't understand…." And I really don't. Even with him here, the voices don't stop. Can he hear them too? Is this a part of the test? He smirks kindly at me, raising out a hand and snapping his fingers once, the sound vibrating through the air and bouncing around until I could finally see what was causing the voices.

Hundreds. Maybe thousands, but the number didn't matter. They were all Bakura. Clones, perhaps, but I'm pretty sure cloning technology has been perfected on just sheep. But this… 

I felt my body suddenly jerked back and I fell to the ground, at least five of the bakuras pinned me down, a sixth one straddling my hips. "Get off!" I snapped forcefully, trying to break away. 

"How do you know this isn't the real Bakura?" That kid's voice was getting unbearable…but if I tried to kill him now, it'd ruin my chances of getting to _my _Bakura. "He's not yours just yet." I glare through the bakura atop me towards where the kid is. What, can everyone read my thoughts?! "He could be 'your' Bakura, or maybe the one besides him is. Guess three times and be wrong each, then you can kiss your hopes from finding the real one away ever again."

I hissed out at his comments and for the fact that the one straddling me was starting to kiss me. And _hard_. First Seto, and now this! Can't everyone just stop doing this to me? The hands are everywhere, grabbing for a piece of me and I manage to roll onto my side, covering my head in my arms again. This isn't Bakura…..none of them are Bakura…..they can't be…..no…..none of them can be….he wouldn't do this to me….

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" I was starting to cry, they were getting too close to me and not only was I getting Claustrophobic, but they were trying to get to places I didn't want anyone to go. The tears poured from my eyes clenched shut, there were lines behind lines of bakuras, waiting for their turn to pick me apart bit by bit. "Please…..stop…." My voice was cut off again, my plea drowning in one of their mouths as he sucked out my breath, forcing in its tongue deeply into my mouth. I was still crying as I was pulled out of my fetal position, forced onto my stomach. I was still fully dressed at least….but still…..how long would _that _last…? I saw the boy a moment, the ancient one who I blame this on. His eyes showed no sadness for me, but I did see a short smirk of pity on my very body. My forehead was pushed against the cold ground and one of the bakuras let off me, but another one took its place, laying across my back and started to suckle at my neck. He bit down hard and I whimpered out in pain, hands clutching at the ground. 

The voices around me ceased for a moment, but I think it was only because that annoying boy was speaking out. "Not a guess yet? Oh come now, he's out there. Waiting for a piece of you as well. You're just a feast to him, that's all. The only reason he wants to return to the living world is so he can ravish you whenever he pleases to."

"Shut up! You're wrong!"

"Am I?" His voice was so….honest….caring….I…what if….

No! He's wrong! "You know that I'm telling the truth Yami, just face it already. He only wants you so he can watch the all-mighty Pharaoh **_begging _**beneath him."

I closed his eyes, trying to curl up again and just cry, but one of the forms was still making marks all over my neck, another kneeling in and licking at my earlobe and another nibbling and massaging my arms. 

"You're wrong….." My voice came out so faint now, eyes blurry so much that I couldn't make out most of the forms around me. "He loves me…." I heard him answer saying to stop fooling myself. I wasn't going to make it. I was going to die here. I should have died awhile ago…but when I saw Bakura…. How could I have fooled myself? Maybe this other is right…..maybe Bakura doesn't……love me…..

"He's wrong."

I ignore the voice, though it seemed softer than the others. I can't bring myself to be lied to again. I just **can't**. 

"Listen to me, he's wrong." I felt a few of the forms atop me moving off a bit, but still assaulting other parts of my body. I felt my head fall into a crevice, the warm making me almost forget that my soul was tearing into more than half of pieces. A hand rubbed through my hair, gently. "I'm not here." The voice whispered into my ear and I turned my head up, hoping to catch a glance of who it was but my head fell back to the ground. No one was there except another copied form pushing lithe against me. 

Wait….

Bakura…

I pushed one of the forms off me to see a direct line of vision with the still smirking other. "You liar!" I hissed, starting to stand and kicked away at all of the bodies trying to reach for a piece of me. I forced myself not to look at them, hardly able to walk as they piled around me, but backed off when I got to this ancient child. "You good for nothing **_LIAR_**!" I snapped, reaching out to choke him, but instead of grasping his neck, I fell back as pain overtook me. I held my arms out before me, gasping for breath as a dark, electrified light fell around my arms, sending jolts of pain through them. I fell to my knees, looking up at him as he glared down at me. Somehow I managed my voice. "Y-You lied….Bakura isn't here…."

I started at the sound of slow clapping, face slowly faltering as he grinned at me. "Well, well, the pharaoh is smarter than he looks."

"What…?"

He rose his arm above him, snapping his fingers once again and all the false bakuras vanished, leaving one sitting in the middle of where they all were, head lowered as it seemed he'd taken on a defeated gaze. My face rose again, though my arms still coursed with pain as I stumbled towards the other, not making it though as the antagonizing throbbing shot through my arms once again and I collapsed, immediately sending a glare back at the boy. 

"Ah, ah, ah," he shook his finger towards me, "you can't go near him."

"_What_?! Why the hell not?!" This was pissing me off. Everything! But mainly this kid, who of course I still don't know his name. I'm really starting to hate him though. He wouldn't even answer me. I felt Bakura's gave on me, but I wouldn't turn my anger from the boy who simply shrugged. "Answer me! Let me go to him!"

"Let me think……" He paused and I felt a tinge of hope. "I'm done thinking, and no, you **can't **see him." And my hope was crushed. "Well why waste time? Let's get the next started."

What scared me the most…

….Was how excited he was getting over this.

************

Short, sorry oO;; Well. It's short for me anyway, I'm used to having like 8 pages typed and I only have 5 here. Uh…..poor Yami oO;; Getting angsty all over again, ne? Yeah….well, nothing we can do for him XD Next chapter may take some more time, I have to think about the second test (the first one was odd as it was), but I know the third one at least. 

Anyone hate the Egyptian boy yet? He'll probably get worse, but he will be rather nice. Ah, I guess…

Least I didn't take as long to get this chapter up… 

And I didn't edit, gomen nasai minna-san oO;;;


	7. Second Test

Woot! I love this chapter ^^ But just a warning…it's rather odd…..mrrr….

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but I own Shinkou and Bakura's song.

"No matter how powerful you become, you are still just a human being, do not try to ever become more than that." -Kenshin's master: Rurouni Kenshin

************

I was laying on the ground, a pain in my head and chest. Bakura wasn't here, but our so-called "host" was, standing a foot from me to be exact. He glared down at me as I sat up, immediately putting a hand over my aching torso. What happened? Why am I so sore? Maybe _he _did something to me.

"What a weak Pharaoh."

"_Excuse _me?" My eyes turned up at him in a glare.

"Oh, nothing really. Just the fact that you randomly slipped unconscious and minutes later you were tossing and rolling around." He shrugged as I stood, our glares evenly strong. Or…I _hope _mine is as strong…

But I don't remember going unconscious…

"Where's Bakura?!"

He waved his hand like it was no big deal and pointed behind me. I turned my head to see a white door against all the darkness, not bother to ask how it may have gotten there.

"If he truly loves you, he should be coming out of that door right about…._now_."

I watched in utter silence, waiting and praying for him just to show up, five minutes of hoping…but he didn't show…

"Well then, it seems like this was a waste of time."

"No," I growled and spun to face him.

"Even if you're right, you love him," he pointed to a spot of darkness and an image of Seto Kaiba appeared.

"I _hate _him! And Seto doesn't love me - he loves Joey! Even if he has yet to tell him…" The image faded and I fixed an angered stare back to the host. "I love Bakura. And he loves me, otherwise neither of us would be here at all."

"Prove it."

"Nani?"

"Prove to me that Bakura loves you."

"Ah….how…?"

"There will be a door in his soul room that only the one he loves can unlock. _Enjoy _your stay."

I was about to question him, but the scene around me changed and I was alone in what seemed like a dank kind of dungeon. Was this Bakura's soul room….? I may be here for awhile by the looks of things…Damn.

"Let me see the Pharaoh!"

"Get out of here, rat. The Pharaoh has better things to do then _socialize _with poor peasants."

Bakura and Seth…stupid guard, I would have loved to see Bakura. Ah…wait, what's going on here? I _guess _this was one of his memories or something…Bakura's memories must be leaking out now. I shortly smiled and started down a near corridor. I wish I had something to mark everywhere I've been…..oh well…

************

"How do you get into the palace?"

"I don't."

"But Shinkou! You're his cousin for Ra's sake!"

"_Wow_, Bakura. You sure are smart. Why do you want to get in so badly?"

"To see the Pharaoh…"

"Good luck."

"Shut up! I'll get in. All I have to do is steal a load of shit….then I'll see him."

************

A few memories and opening doors later, I stopped to a small, soft voice in a bit of surprise. Who else could be in here..? "Hewo." I blinked around, feeling a tugging on my leg and glanced downwards. You're kidding me….Really….this _has _to be some joke… "Will you play with me…? No one else will….they call me a freak…"

I knelt down, smiling at a rather young version of Bakura, a cute matt of fresh silver hair plastered atop his head like always, covering over his eyes for the most part. He had a gray shirt hanging down to his knees, brown pants beneath to cover the rest of him. How could no one want to play with him?

I petted his head softly and he blinked a bit. "You aren't a freak. And I'll play with you. What do you want to play?"

His face lit up, I'd hate to see it if I had told him no. "Dungeon!"

"….Dungeon…?" Whatever that is. "Why dungeon…?"

"Because," he looked down nervously. "I don' like heights…dungeons don' have anything ta fall off of other than stairs…but if you don't want to play…"

"Oh no!" He'd started to turn away and I lightly held him back. "I'll play. But can you help me?" He nodded, face joyful once again. "Do you know of any doors that you can't get open here? That are locked?"

"Uh-huh. There's one on the bottom floor." Perfect! I'll be out of here in no time then!

"Thanks, I'll play with you until we get there, okay?"

"Otay."

************

We had moved down the stairs, the chibi humming something I didn't recognize. Seth seemed to wander down the corridor with a semi-older Bakura in tow and I felt a sudden rush of weight against my legs. "What's wrong?" I looked down, finding my current companion huddling into my legs from behind me.

"I don' like him…"

"Well, he's not exactly one I'd be fond of too…but don't worry, he can't hurt you," I whispered, stroking his hair softly and he seemed to calm down a bit. I looked back up at the images, but they had already turned the corner. The chibi seemed to whimper again as if he knew what was happening and I finally picked him up in my arms, cradling his small form close. "It's ok, really." I continued walking, turning the corner myself and gasping a bit - caught off guard at the sight.

The images of Bakura and Seth had stopped moving, well, walking any further. The Bakura in my arms buried himself against me, shaking as I watched as Seth forced Bakura against a wall, savagely kissing the other and moving his head down to bite at his neck. "Stop it!" I hissed, kicking the image - but as it was just a memory, just seemingly air….I fell over through it, catching my footing somehow and staying standing. 

"Evil man! I hates you!" The small Bakura hissed, looking up at the image of Seth with watering eyes. I found now to be the best time to keep moving. I wonder how much longer until we get to the last floor…

************

"The next floor….I tink that's where the door you're talking about is…"

I nod, still holding his shaking form. I looked down at him, keeping my voice soft. "We never played any of your game.."

"I don' really want to play…" He held to me tighter. I actually don't think he wanted to play in the first place. I think he just wanted company down here. It must be hard living through all his memories, but I wonder if he holds all of them in him anyway, even though he's just a child? Maybe he holds all of Bakura's emotions within him? If so…that has to be hard…

"That's alright," I gave him a smile, embracing him lightly. I thought he was humming again, but he was silent in my arms and I blinked in confusion, moving to one of the normal doors. I reached out a hand, tossing it open with ease and blinking once again when the doorway was suddenly barred over so I couldn't go in. Shit…I wonder if _my _mind is this screwed up…

The room had formed itself up like a cell, rather dark too. Bakura was in the back of it, sprawled tiredly with his head tilted back. He was the teen that was humming this time, but slightly after he started to sing to himself. "Keep me alive….keep my soul free…..seems how this life will always be…get me out….keeping me from crying…..I don't want to end up dying and now….help me, take me away and keep me from falling and now…save me and hide me away…..keep me from dying…. I can't pick it up, strumming on these bars I think I'm bleeding and I can't move away, thinking about all these things I want to say, but now, I can hardly move an inch, but now, I'm praying, let me live a life worth living…" 

I stared at his form a bit longer, suddenly hearing the chibi in my arms start to hum with him and I realized it was the same tune he was using earlier. I never realized Bakura could sing….he's not bad…

…._Focus, Yami, focus! _I told myself and moved away from the cell, blinking when the breathing of the child was lighter and I took note that the small Bakura was sleeping. I hope maybe….I'll be able to see the future him asleep in my arms…

************

"Come on! It's dis' way!" The other was back on his feet, running down the corridor and towards a stairway. Hell, he's fast! Wait…I should know that anyway.

"Wait up, Bakura!" 

He keeps running and my eyes widen horrified as he trips and I increase my speed, watching him fall through the air, hearing him cry and I can't understand why - after all, it's just stairs…

"Don't worry, I got you!" I cried out, falling over myself just to grab his arm with a single hand. I gasp, sweat running down my face as I look down. The stairs had crumbled away at some point, leaving a large gap between floors that I can't even jump. This Bakura is curled around my arm, crying loudly and it echoed through the soul room. "Shh…..it's ok…." I pulled him up and he hid away against me, trembling greatly and all I could do was hold him for a few minutes, trying to think how to get across that gap…._with _the chibi as well…

I started at a rustled sound behind us and looked over my shoulder, flashing a look of surprise across my face to see _my _Kuriboh sitting there with a bit of a bounce. I looked beneath his feet, cursing quietly as I realized my deck must have slid from my pocket when I dived to grab Bakura… The cards were spread out all over the floor and I made a bit of movement to start picking them up, setting down the small Bakura who immediately glomped to my Kuriboh. Wait…. I touched the monster's head, noting how solid it was and smiled. We can _fly _over the gap. I gathered up most of my cards, leaving out the Winged Dragon to use later, but I was feeling unsettled and looked towards the pit, noting some of my cards made it near that as well and slowly added them to my deck. I still couldn't find my magician…..

Until I noticed that one card had just slid over the edge and started to float its way through the darkness. "No!" I yelled, startling Bakura and the Kurioboh as I stared in a panic through the darkness as my prized card was far from my reach. Dammit! I don't care if it's just a card! It's _my _card! 

"You otay?" I glanced back at Bakura and forced a smile. "You look upset."

"No, I'm fine, really. Come on - let's go. Have you ever seen a dragon?" He shook his head as a 'no' frantically, though seemed excited. "Then this, I suppose, is your lucky day." He blinked in confusion as I slid my deck into my pocket, tossing out the Winged Dragon as it started to glow and the card shifted into a large, blue dragon. Bakura seemed ecstatic, clapping his hands as I picked him up and hopped onto the dragon's back, Kuriboh followed (much to Bakura's joy). 

It was a rather _pathetic _flight, I must say… We flew about two inches before getting off and I summoned the monster back as a card. I left the Kuriboh out to walk along side Bakura and we continued down the corridor. "Where's this door you can't open?"

"At ta end of the hall."

I gave a slow nod and we continued in silence.

************

"It's right - uh-oh…" I looked down at him and he hid behind me and I asked him what was wrong. He pointed ahead and it seemed another memory was forming right before us, making it almost look like we were standing in a doorway. "Shh, it's the Pharaoh….he's mean…" I bit my lip, already knowing what the memory was before it fully came into formation. The new doorway that we were in opened up to a large room, the throne room in the palace in Egypt to be exact. There were guards lined up on each side of an aisle way all the way to the throne where - ah…._I _sat. Seth standing besides me and a priestess as well on the other side. I could notice there were spectators that slid in, one of them being Shinkou.

The child version of Bakura shivered against me as we watched and I sighed, shifting uneasily. 

Bakura was forced onto his knees in the vision, right before the throne and now that I noticed it - he seemed to be terribly shaking, casting a glance to Seth who was sneering at him, but also had licked his lips and Bakura quickly returned his glance to the ground. 

"The Pharaoh was mean….he didn't give me a second chance….but I still got my wish to see him…..though I couldn't see him any more afterwards…I was sealed away…" I shifted my weight of my feet again, not liking the position I'd fallen into suddenly. 

"Come on, we have a door to get to," I murmured hastily and started into the memory with the chibi following after my heels.

"But what if they see us!"

"They can't," I muttered and continued, though paused when I was behind the image of the shaken Bakura and knelt down, wrapping my arms around his neck. I know he can't see me, and hardly even feel me for that matter…but I know he can at least the _slightest _hear me… "It'll all be ok, I promise, you're future may start out bad, but I **_promise _**it'll improve…" I released my grip on him and straightened, quickly moving passed….ah…._my _throne and making sure the chibi was with me just as I heard screams of pain and chanting behind me. The image faded and we stood by the door.

The chibi turned from where the image had been and was now facing me. Damn. I was hoping this wouldn't have happened….

"Y-You're…..the Pharaoh….."

"Hai…" I don't stare at him, but the door.

"You're the one who's given me pain all my life!"

"……This is true…."

"Why?!"

"I can't….answer that…." I gulped, laying my hand on the door…I could just get out of here in one swift opening of the door and everything would be fine…But he had other ideas and pushed me away from it. 

"I won't let you open that until you answer me!"

"Bakura," I breathed, trying to think what I even wanted to tell him. "I'm in your soul room, I know you realize this. You're a _ghost_, I'm doing everything I can to bring you **back **because I love you….There are people not here, not in the Shadow Realm, but on Earth that are helping as well, you aren't alone! We just want to help you….You have to understand, I _need _to get to that door, Bakura! I'm sorry what I've done to you…and maybe I thought that the you outside of here knew that….but maybe he doesn't……I still have to try though!" He blinks at me, his rage seeming to fade and he stepped aside, allowing me to the door.

"Then let's see your answer…" He whispered, then blinked when Kuriboh ran up behind him and tackled him to the ground. I chuckled shortly, realizing it must have gotten left behind when we went through the memory. I took a breath, resting my hand back on the knob and smiling to the warmth that radiated from it. _Only the one he loves can open it…_I repeated to myself and closed my eyes as I forced myself into the room, but before I could see what's in it, the air started to pull me back. I heard the chibi Bakura gasp and pull on my pant leg before I felt him push me forward.

I groan, landing flat on the ground and looking up as the door closed behind me. I looked around, starting to wonder if this was the wrong room…._Nothing _was here…

Except…

….There was something in the center that I crawled out towards, a small box encrusted in gold designs. I blinked down at it, running a hand over its surface before slowly opening it. Within lay in crimson velvet, a dagger with a thin, black blade, its hilt golden with a small silver sphere at the end. I reached in and pulled it out, surprised on how light it was and almost dropped it when the blade started to look like it was burning. A flame encased it, slowly passing to leave the letters glowering in ashen fire: Y A M I.

I put the blade back and closed the box, hearing it seal shut and illuminate a holy white glow overcastting in the room. Words burnt all around, covering the walls with _my _name and words like love….nothing resembling hate.

I smiled, not caring when I stood up and the room was dispersing from around my body. So maybe this _was _the right room after all..

************

"Of course it was the right room, _idiot_," I blinked up, looking around for the soft voice and noting I was back in the darkness. I felt a sudden weight on my back and it was _definitely _not the chibi. "Who else did you think would be able to open it?" I smiled, whispering with a sigh 'Bakura' and felt the arms of the other around my neck, clutching to my body as if I were giving him a ride on my back. Which wasn't working too well…as I was _shorter _than him. "Mmm….hm…" He whispered, nuzzling against my head like he were never going to see me again.

"Oh please…" I glanced up at the host as Bakura rested his head to my shoulder.

"You're not exactly one who lives up to his word, are you?" I heard Bakura say with annoyance towards the host. 

"Are you still going on about that?"

"Yes!"

I feel so confused.

"Bakura, what are you talking about?"

"He sealed me in a room and locked the door!" Bakura snapped, his sudden change of attitude nearly causing me to fall over. But I suddenly see just why he was angered, and I felt it too.

"The same door you said he was supposed to come out of?!"

"Ah, well, yes," the boy rubbed his chin, though seemed to be smirking a bit. "It was the only way that worked to really - introduce the second test…" I growled in annoyance, but he waved it off. "But don't worry, I'll make sure to go right into the last one, if it makes you feel any better…"

"Fine with me," I murmured, folding my arms after Bakura finally let me go.

"Hai, I agree," Bakura nodded and we waited side by side.

"You two should be happy this time, you actually get to be together," he spoke loudly, voice echoing and the area felt like it was starting to get colder. "I must say it is no surprise that you have both lasted so long with your ideals that you would be with one another forever. But let's see how well you can uphold your little….._bond _that you have formed with one another. I introduce myself at last to you both and wish you the best of luck. My name is Fukusuke Assi, until we meet in the future…." He started to raise his arms, one hand poised as if he were waiting to snap his fingers. I inched closer to Bakura when I noticed I could see my breath because it was so cold. Fukusuke's voice had been echoing all around us, volume increasing as he spoke, and now we were hanging to his last word, waiting for him to do _something_. He brought his arms down quickly, snapping his fingers as everything began to swirl and break away from us. "….._Goodbye._"

************

Ok. Yeah. So I'm figuring one more real chapter left and then an Epilogue. I'm calling it an epilogue only because the PoV's change XD Oh well. It makes sense to me anyway. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter ^^ I liked the chibi….he was cute I thought….the core of Bakura's mind, the one thing that held to all of Bakura's emotions was the chibi.

But there wasn't that much angst in this chapter….neh….well. I'll make up for it next chapter. 

Be forewarned.

Ah! And this is Bakura's song in a more easier to read format ^^ It's also on FictionPress.com along with allll my poems and stuff that you should all go read right now XD Well….you don't _have _to…..they're all angst really….and then there's my Two Worlds story that I should work on and soon to be up my Fatal Blows story which is an **original **slash piece of work…. Yeah…anyway, the song.

****

Keep Me Alive by ShadowSpirit (duh)

Keep me alive….

Keep my soul free…..

Seems how this life will always be…

Get me out….

Keeping me from crying…..

I don't want to end up dying and now….

Help me, take me away and keep me from falling and now…

Save me and hide me away…..

Keep me from dying….

I can't pick it up, strumming on these bars I think I'm bleeding 

And I can't move away, thinking about all these things I want to say, 

But now, I can hardly move an inch, 

But now, I'm praying, let me live a life worth living


	8. Third Test

Yes, yes, I'm finally doing the next chapter. I knew how I wanted it to be - but in all honesty I couldn't mold it with my liking. So here I am, listening to Nightwish with four other stories opened and waiting to have some attention brought to, and deciding to work on this first. Want to know what else there is? A lovely sequel to _Can You Still Love Me_, a short Rurouni Kenshin snippet, the next chapter of _Can't Stop Loving You_, and of course my all-so-great _The Pain You Gave Me_. Heh, yeah, there's me gloating on what will take awhile to do.

----and now a few weeks later I return to working again. Whoops. holds up pad of paper I actually drew a map for myself o.O;;

----wow even more weeks later from that comment here I am again. I got lost in my map. Shit..

"I wish for this lifetime to last for a lifetime, in darkness around me shores of a solar sea."

-Sleeping Sun: _Nightwish_

* * *

I let out a groan, rolling over and feeling something shift around my body, pulling me in closer, tighter. My arms come around my body, trying to feel what it is when more shifting occurs and my body feels lowered. Coughing, I was turned vertically it felt and my feet brushed what must have been the ground, but I was just as quickly pulled away from it. With another groan and more shifting of what was around me, I opened my eyes - wishing I never had. "What the hell is this?!"

Frantically, I tried to break away as it seemed like some kind of limbs of some creature were around me, covering from my neck to my ankles and pulling me against a fleshy wall. "Where am I?! Let me go!" I snapped out, trying to fight it as the limbs pulled around me like rope and finally stopped moving. It didn't matter, I was suspended in the air, away from the "ground" and with my body semi-against some beast's wall!

My eyes searched around carefully, noting what may have been a door and what I _hope _was a river, but it looked kind of green and foaming… Yck…my gaze traveled upwards and I squinted, seeing what seemed like more limbs wrapping around something… "BAKURA!"

It was him! I could make out his hair! But he wasn't moving… "Bakura, _Bakura_! Wake up!"

He seemed to roll over in his restraints, moving around to look at me, eyes opening in rejoice. "Yami! Oh, thank god you're here…well, maybe it'd be better if you weren't…" he sighed and I think he knew something that I didn't, I give him a look to want some form of an answer. "Haven't you noticed?"

"…Noticed what?"

"The walls, these feeler things, the liquid down there, door -"

"Yes, I've seen all of that. What are you getting at, Bakura…?"

"Yami. We're inside some creature."

* * *

How long have we been here? A half an hour or so, it seemed. I mumbled in annoyance, feeling my legs go numb and sigh, hanging my head. What kind of test is this? We'll be here for hours if we can't get out of this. The limbs tighten around my arms - there goes my circulation.

Bakura has been awfully quiet and it's starting to worry me. I can see him perfectly fine from here, but his eyes look rather focused and he rolls over for about the third time in the last five minutes. I note as realization strikes through his eyes and he starts to laugh with joy (I hope).

I close my eyes slightly to try and block out a golden glow that breaks out from the limbs holding Bakura, the glow mixing with a new one of a bright purple. I nearly scream when the limbs are cut and Bakura is falling, it's sort of a long way down! But he's caught by…._what_? My Dark Magician….? But…I…lost him….

He's still laughing and I can see his Sennen item glowing, meaning he had summoned the card. I gasp when magic strikes the limbs holding me up and I fall, a rush of air around me and I fall into the magician's free arm. Ow…I can't feel my body…

"Bakura…" I sigh as the magician lay us to the ground, well actually I'm laying and Bakura is standing. But nevertheless his body dissolves back into a card and my silver fiend holds it out to me. I stare at it, confused, shaking my head as I tried to understand.

"It was in my soul room. A friend of mine retrieved it," he smiled as I took the card, stared at it with love, and then placed it safely into my pocket. I'm guessing his friend was the child version of himself that I met, otherwise I'm clueless.

"Thank you…" I murmur, attempting to stand, managing slightly when Bakura reached down and helped me up, putting my arm around his shoulder. I blush vaguely and he smiles at it. "How are you not numb?"

"I made sure to keep moving around and use the ring slightly," he shrugged a bit as we moved for the door, though it seemed more like some sort of mouth, then again we **are **inside something's body. That thought disturbs me… "I wish I thought about summoning something sooner, sorry."

"Thought of something quicker than I did," I muttered before reaching out at the flesh door, cringing at the feeling beneath my palm and nearly clinging to Bakura when it twisted open. "Eh…" I gulped and we stepped through, watching it snap close behind us with a spongy sound. "So what do we do now…? Um…find the exit…?" at this point I was getting really uneasy.

"Yeah, I guess," I think he laughed a bit at my current state. "Squeamish?"

"No," I inwardly groaned again as we continued moving. Bakura obviously knew I was lying, but he was polite enough to not say anything about it. He only held me closer and I allowed myself to smile. Everything was rather quiet as we walked through dark tunnel. I could hear splashes of a liquid drip down from the curved ceiling, but other than that it was fine - until a stream of the liquid landed on my arm and I cried out, falling away from Bakura to the ground.

He looked down at me as if I were insane and it took him a minute to realize I was being _burned_. "B-Bakura!" I cried out once more, watching my sleeve sizzle away and my flesh start to boil as the liquid buried into my arm. I clenched my eyes shut, unsure of what to do, knowing if I touched it then my hand would burn as well.

"Shit…" Bakura cursed, eyes wide and face blank before he dragged me to my feet, running through the tunnel and through another of the doors. "It's trying to _eat _us…" I looked at him, sweat forming on my face. There was "only" a flesh wound now, the liquid seeming to dissolve, but I was still bleeding a good amount from it…and the pain was still present…still tingling. "Did it stop?"

"Y-Yeah…" I nearly whimpered, sinking back to the ground of a very open, circular room. My hand ignored the feeling of blood and clasped over on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding as best I could. Unconsciously, I leant against Bakura's legs, knowing he was looking down at me from where he stood…but I felt more secure in the position.

"….We need to get that healed up…"

"Brilliant. Any idea of _how_?" I growled unintentionally. He winced a bit at my tone and I vaguely slumped, "Sorry."

"Don't worry…." he seemed to pause, voice dropping as he finished, "…about it…"

"What is it?" I tried to sit up as he moved away, but he told me to stay and rest and I sighed out. I want to _help_, and know what the heck seemed to be on his mind suddenly. "Bakura, tell me what it is!"

"Shh!" he snapped and I fell back a bit, immediately going silent.

He turned around a few times, I could see his eyes searching the room, confusion evident. "There are no other doors…" he was talking to himself, not me. Figures…ignore the injured. Yeah, thanks Bakura. Thanks for being so helpful.

"Bakura…" I growled out in my pharaoh-like tone that I can only _sometimes _manage now it seems. Oh well. It used to be easier to do, a natural habit I guess. Then again, the tone _did _always get people on my bad side.

He finally responded to me, "I thought I heard something. But nothing came in after us…and there aren't any other doors."

"Maybe it's the creature's stomach. I bet he's hungry. Maybe he feeds on ancient spirits all the time," I scoffed and he looked over at me, raising a brow. I got his point and gave a nervous chuckle. "I'm tired and injured - cut me some slack."

"I would, but all your witty remarks are going to my head," at first I thought he was angry with me, but he was smiling and in return I forced the gesture…it wasn't that difficult to smile back when watching him. Then again, how could I not smile at him? How the hell did I use to manage when he was….alive? Never mind, never mind…don't think about that Yami…I'll get him alive and then everything will be fine again…

I felt something brush against my back and I turned to look, seeing nothing and faltering. "…Bakura…?"

"Hn?"

"I think something _is _in here…"

I caught him tensing from the corner of my eyes and forced myself to stand. He walked over by my side, nervously gazing around at the blank room. I was the first to notice the flesh walls move very slightly, and yet constantly. I informed Bakura of this and before I knew it, he threw me to the ground. I yelled out, cursing him loudly in pain, looking back up angrily as he fought to keep standing…I couldn't see what was attacking him. He was…protecting me…'Kura… I shifted slightly, noting a long scaly tail from the creature, opening my mouth wordlessly when I saw the full being. It was snake like for its main body, though two strong, clawed arms jutted out from its upper chest, claws encircling a spear which Bakura held onto in order to keep the being away. Its head was like some sort of dragon…I _guess _more similar to a Red-Eyes out of anything….

I started, watching two more move into the room right _through _the flesh wall and shuddered as they came towards me. My blood. My blood from the wound led them here…

I scrambled to stand, almost falling over right away. My breath hitched as I managed to side-strife to the side to for the most part avoid a spear to my arm, though a small portion of my skin was scratched at and sliced. I clenched my eyes shut in pain. How the heck were we going to get out of here _alive_? All I want is Bakura to live…

Two of the beings came for me after circling and all I could do is stand there. I felt Bakura's back press against my own, a shiver running through him first and seemed to travel through my own body as well. Don't you dare die, Bakura… "Chain of Energy!" I literally eeped when instead of getting hit by a spear, I get a chained up body fall into me. Bakura clutches me and the body falls to the side, squirming and screeching to be released. The others in the room (three in total) go through the same process and I sigh with relief, slumping. I'm really starting to _not _ignore all these injuries… "You ok…?"

I give Bakura a brief nod before collapsing, too quickly for him to even catch me. But…the floor is just so comfortable… The glowing flesh below me is kind of reassuring…

...Wait.

…Glowing flesh?

…Not something that was there a minute ago.

"Baakkurra…." I groaned in a delirious state, hand numbly rubbing the surface below me, kneading at it to beckon to my will. My gaze stares off to nowhere it particular, just…gazing….gazing……gazing…

"Yami, stay awake," I hear Bakura distantly, that is until the glow rises up and completely engulfs us like some sort of mist. I gasp, trying to clutch to the floor and I manage.

The floor isn't glowing anymore.

I sit up, shaking, stomach lurching, but I hold back what it wants to get rid of. "Bakura…" I wrap my arms around my stomach and clench my eyes shut, a bile rising before whatever was left in my stomach was now on the floor. He supports me carefully and I can feel his gaze, "W-What happened…?" One minute I'm laying down, the next…well…still laying down…but it felt like the world just tipped in every direction…

"…I think that glow…er…transported us somewhere else…" that would explain it.

I wipe my mouth and lean into Bakura, using his aid to slowly help me stand. We _need _to find a way out, dammit! I feel so useless to him, like I'm slowing him down - which in reality I am. I'm sorry, Bakura…I really _do _want to help…just…everything is against me… He embraces me as if he knows my thoughts. I shudder and glance to another mouth-door and pull from him, stumbling towards it. He silently follows, both stepping through after it opens for us.

"Might as well keep trying doors…" I mumbled and I believe he simply shrugged as we made it in. I smiled at seeing another door across the room, maybe that meant this was the right way? Perfect! Things could be looking up! I kept my arms circled around my chest, staggering along and ignoring the small shrill sounds all around me. I don't care anymore. I just don't care…I just want to get to that damn flesh door over there…

"Yami?"

"What?" I spoke in a drop-dead tone. I already knew what he was going to ask, but humor him, right?

"You do realize you're walking on…well…um…"

I suppose the nips at my feet would mean I am stepping over some array of animals. But if I ignore them it's like they aren't there, hn? "Yes, Bakura, I do realize I'm walking over….mmm…snakes…" it took me a minute to actually solve that, after all the room did hold a certain darkness too it. I continued trudging along and he finally started to follow me, the hesitation gone.

Ha! That's it now, nearly to that door. Perfect. It better lead out of here.

"Wait, Yami, I don't think this is such a good id -" his voice was gone.

I turned around and blinked, not seeing him anywhere. "Bakura?"

"He'ssss mine now…" I heard the snake-like voice, but couldn't see the speaker itself. "And you will be too…all of your memoriesss and all of your flesh will be food for my children and myssself…but it isss your own fault…you two came in to kill my children!"

Crap. Not good. She doesn't sound very happy…assuming it is female… "…Where did you take Bakura?"

"You ssshould worry about yourssself and not othersss right now…" I saw the tip of a tail move not too far from me and searched for the head, only to find a more serpent length body wrapping around the walls of the room. I watched the muscles move all through the form, leading up to where I could finally see a bird sort of head, scales all around a beak. I caught sight of it right on time to dive away, her beak having shot forward to try and grab me.

I rolled onto the ground, the hundreds of snakes pulling away almost to make room…only to converge back for my body. I screamed in pain as the realization came: they could smell my bloody - they knew exactly where every one of my wounds were.

"That'sss right my children, _feed _on hisss flesh, pull open hisss sssoul…and I will take hisss mind…"

I felt my body being held down to the ground, loosing my jacket somewhere along the way, trying to roll over to avoid the small fangs pricking into my skin.

"GET OFF ME!" I yelled, body shooting up in a last attempt to free myself. I managed to stand, body numb and my mind swirling.

…I couldn't see.

"Your mind isss mine….human…"

/ YAMI! /

The puzzle shone with brilliant light and my body spun with confusion. I swore I just heard Yuugi….ah…maybe I'm going insane for certain now…

I hadn't realized that the light the puzzle gave off was cause her to pull back until her tail loomed upwards and came down with screeches of her children right besides me. "Now is my chance…" I mumbled, taking a hand and grasping the puzzle to hold it towards her as I ran for the door, body falling against it as her tail came around again, hitting against me and actually pushing me through. I almost didn't make it…yet it closed again and silence fell around me. "…Bakura…I'll find you…"

* * *

I stared at the closed door for at least five minutes, watching the pieces holding it together move slightly every so often, that creature trying to push her way through with little success. I finally turned away and glanced around, raising a brow…nearly horrified. "…Now I know where her children come from…"

I gulped, staring around at bundles of egg stored in sunken areas of flesh, some of the smaller ones with a coating of pinkish film around them. I tip-toed along, making sure not to…well, wake any of them. Er…not to disturb their…development. Yeah…that sounds right…

"Dammit…" I mumble at random, falling to one knee when my stomach's muscles pulled tightly into a cramp. Just another one of my many injuries…she hit me pretty hard with her tail back there…

…I wish I could have grabbed my coat.

But no, I didn't, and now I'm wishing I never developed a liking for sleeveless shirts. I'm sure there's probably much more that want to have my arms as their dinner here. Just…damn.

I moved on in my own silence, passing through yet another door and continued on through a crypt kind of place, rotting bones scattered. Must have been her last what, hundred meals? Probably. …I rather not look at see what could have been me.

"Hey…yeah….thanks Yami…keep on walking…"

I stopped and tilted my head to the side, hearing some of the bones shift.

"…Ugh…hey I could really use some help here…"

"Bakura?" I blinked and walked to where the voice was, catching sight of a hand and pull at it, lifting the one I love from the scrap of the dead. Thank Ra he was alive… But….what the hell? There's a slime around him… "What _happened_ to you?"

"Something opened up from the ground in that room…fell into a tube…got covered in this shit and ended up being pushed from the ground and into here…some voice said I'd be the after meal…"

"Lovely."

He scoffed in response, standing and trying to free himself from the substance. He was on his own with that.

* * *

Have I mentioned that I hate this place? I don't think I have, surprisingly. As if things couldn't get much worse, we had to fly our way over a river or acid. Yes, fly. As in I handed Bakura a card, he summoned the Curse of Dragon for me. And we flew.

The door there wouldn't open when we landed.

Leave it to a thief to solve some sort of puzzle to open it….after ten minutes. I was nearly in tears by the time we go into the empty room, dragging myself along…nearly collapsing a few times…I hate this place.

I hate it.

I hate it.

"….Bakura."

"Ye - umph!"

I fell against him, weakly staring up into his eyes in desperation.

"You're the only reason I'm alive…" I whispered incoherently, causing him to simply watch me as I slumped, exhausted.

"Just a bit further, Yami. We _must _be almost out by now…then we can relax in the world of the living…together…ok?"

"…Ok," I smiled.

* * *

"Fucking shit…"

I glanced tiredly at Bakura, noticing he stopped moving, though I continued forward a bit. Another door was just ahead and I was determined to get through it. "Keep going, Yami."

"What?" I halted and turned at the comment, quickly spoken.

"I said _keep going_," he snapped and I glared.

"Why?"

"_Please_, Yami!"

"No," I straightened, crossing my arms and went to lean against the door, feeling it shift a bit from my body contact. That was odd. "Come on, Bakura. Let's go. I think we're almost out, the puzzle is giving off this weird feeling." He still wasn't moving and I stepped forward just enough to grab his arm, dragging him towards the door. I felt a rumble and blinked when the center split open, quickly pulling Bakura to me.

"Wait, Y -"

"Too late," I cried out, clenching tightly to him as I lost my balance and fell to the ground. The area around us crumbled in an arc shape, dark mist filling over where the rest of the flesh had been. I gulped and glanced down, hearing a groan as a silhouette shifted down in the darkness. We're dead. We're going to die. Dammit, no! This was _not _supposed to happen! I pushed away from Bakura to stand up, clenching a fist, my body aching.

"Yami, what are you doing?"

I offered him a smile, but his sudden uneasiness remained

"It's going to be ok, Bakura. I understand it now," or I really hoped I did. If not, well…oops? I took a breath, seeing more of the creature below as it started to rise, waiting for its meal. Bakura managed to stand as well, grabbing my wrists to hold me still. "Really, Bakura. I get it. Let go and trust me."

"…Yami…"

"Let go," I whispered and felt his hands sink away. Another breath in as I closed my eyes, opening my mind. _"All I want is Bakura to live."_

I dropped.

"You idiot! Yami!" Bakura called out, body starting as he reached out, darkness filling over his eyes.

* * *

"YAMI!" russet eyes moved quickly around a room, body trembling and arm still outstretched. "Where is he…? Where is he?!" Bakura caught sight of the other people in the room…everyone he and Yami had left in the start of all the tests. Shinkou blinked at him, confused. "Tell me where he is!" he snapped, panicked.

Mariku moved over to Bakura, stumbling slightly and then prodding his head, "He seems real enough."

"What are you…?" the silver haired blinked, then quickly went to look down at his hands. _I'm not a ghost anymore…so where the hell is Yami?! _"Where is he?"

"You're the only one that came back…"

"That's not funny, Mariku!" he snapped, grabbing the other's shoulders roughly. "What the fucking hell kind of prank is this?! Yami! Come on, get over here, now!" his gaze met Ryou's saddened one and his shoulders slumped. "He's not here? H-He really isn't here…?"

"We'd tell you if he were, Bakura," Isis whispered.

"But…if I'm here…he should be…too…isn't that how it's supposed to work…?" he glanced back over to Shinkou who gave him an unsure shrug. Bakura fell to his knees, face twisting in despair. _He said he knew what he was doing…did he really think we were going to both die? So what? He let me live…? _"Damn you, Yami!" he shouted, arms encircling over his head and he crouched into the ground. Ryou stumbled over to his side, though was unsure of how to get his darker half to relax. "We failed…I failed…"

* * *

Wow, that really sucked. Damn. Damn, damn, damn. -curses- And I took so long to post it too. -.- I'm really sorry, this didn't come out how it was supposed to…-sighs- Well, nevertheless, there's just the epilogue left…I'll try not to take nearly a year to post it… -mumbles and goes to sulk-


	9. Epilogue

Took me long enough, I had trouble writing to a point…and it's so short….how depressing. Ah well, better than nothing, right? It's an ending at least, lol. Remember this is in _Bakura's PoV_. Please enjoy. See you all again sometime, I thank those who have lately been pestering me to update things -- this is for you all.

Ahh…and…I do not own the song "First Day of My Life" by The Rasmus. -smirk-

* * *

"Feel like I'm stoned

wanna be alone, just for a while, unknown

Weeks on the road a long way from home

just shut off the phone

And you say I'll heal you,

I'll always be yours

and you say I'll kill you if I do something wrong

yeah, yeah, yeah ,yeah, yeah, yeah

Still feels like the first time

to stand here by your side

together regardless

we'll walk through the darkness

Still feels like the first day of my life

Remember the times

together we swore, never give up this life

still hanging on, still going strong

here I belong."

Epilogue

I used to believe that the will to live was stupid. There was nothing in the world that could keep me connected to it; I lost that too long ago, there had been a small fire in me, giving me a flicker of hope. That flicker died quickly, my fire-of-so-called-hope was gone. And when I couldn't take it anymore, I killed myself.

What a stupid idiot I was.

But how was I supposed to know how much he cared? He wasn't exactly helpful. Yet then he tried to kill _himself _and I was finally able to confront him. There was no way I would let him share my fate. …Even if it was probably kind of creepy having a ghost confront you. Then again, if I had a ghost confront me, I'd most likely shrug it off and tell it to fuck off.

Unless _he _were to confront me.

Which is unlikely.

…Dammit.

"You're still upset, aren't you?"

"…What do you _think_?"

"I think he wouldn't want you moping around. Don't you? I mean…he did kind of…well, sacrifice himself for you, didn't he?"

"Hn," I turned away, arms crossed. What does he know?

"Fine, be like that," my other mutters, but I can still feel his presence near. "Just…don't leave again, ok?" I faced him again, brow raised. His tone was like that of a scared little child. "Don't kill yourself again…you left me alone…I _don't _want to go through that feeling again…"

Aww…my other half missed me.

I placed a hand on his head and he stopped babbling, blinking up at me. "I may be upset, Ryou, but I'm not going anywhere again. Not after all that. Just relax already." He brightened up at my words and nodded, saying a quick 'feel better' before leaving the room.

* * *

But I don't know if I even wanted to feel better. If I did…would that mean he'd be gone forever? I know he's gone _now_, but we're all still thinking of him…still hoping. But nothing is happening. Nothing is _helping_. You're still gone and that's that.

Makes me want to…

…Hell, I don't know. I can't say 'kill myself' because I promised Ryou. And I can't do that because it would just be a waste…I don't think he'd be happy to see me dead…_again_.

I really should stop doing these evening strolls around the park…they make me think too much.

"Is something upsetting you, little boy?"

I glanced towards a woman with dark hair. Dark jeans, dark shirt, dark eyes; is it just me or does she seem like the morbid type? Especially with that smile…creepy. _Hey wait_, I'm no little boy! How dare she -- "Oh I apologize, that was rather forward of me…It's just that you looked so unhappy…"

"My friend died, happy?" I scoffed and started to walk by her, hearing her voice whisper out smugly as I passed.

"Of course."

I blinked and turned, eyes wide as I stared around. What the hell…? She's bloody gone! Fucking hell…right, right…._ definitely _no more evening strolls…

* * *

"You can't keep this up!"

Some little punk keeps following me on my 'dawn stroll.'

"Will you at least _look _at me?!"

No, because that will show that I've acknowledged that I'm being followed.

"If you never look at me, then you'll never be able to see him again, you stubborn spirit!" he yelled and I stopped, eyes darkening. What the fuck is he… Who does he think he is…

I turned slowly, eyes flashing with anger. This kid is going to pay for bringing up… "It's _you_."

The boy smirked. I'm going to kill him. I'm going to _kill _that punk! "What the fuck are you doing here?! Haven't you messed with my life enough Fu…Fu…"

"Fukusuke Assi," the boy hummed, rocking on the balls of his feet. "Don't tell me you didn't miss me? I couldn't help to not see you for so long…although it hasn't been _that _long after the ending of the tests…"

"Speaking of which…" I growled, keeping fists at my sides. Can't kill him yet. Can't… "Why the hell am I _alive_? We failed. We're _both _supposed to die if we fail…"

"Yes, that's true."

Fukusuke Assi. He was the director…I guess you could say. The one who put Yami and myself through three tests. If we failed any of them, we were both to die. But…only Yami died…and that left me alone without him. Sick and twisted change of events…I was the dead one, now he's the dead one. Only this time…he's not a ghost.

"Then why --"

"Dear Bakura, you're accusing me as if I've screwed something up…" he paused and turned his gaze to the sky. "Has he always been this impatient? …Ah, yes, I see…" I glared at him until he returned his gaze onto me. "Look, you really should relax, it's unhealthy to be this stressful."

"It takes awhile for things to be processed, you must cut us some slack." The woman I ran into last night was back. Right besides the kid…they almost looked like twins…except she was older, of course… My head is really starting to hurt…

Fukusuke stepped forward and I took one back, but he kept walking ahead anyway. He sighed softly, "You're alive. If you failed, you would be dead. Has that sunk into your brain?"

"Yeah, but --"

"_Has _that _sunk _into _your _brain?"

"Yes," I muttered. I planned on saying more, but he put a finger to my lips and shushed me. He turned his head and nodded to the woman, who chose to step away to leave one other figure standing there. "What…? It…can't…"

"You never failed, idiot," Fukusuke slapped my head as he stepped to my side. "Your 'beloved' figured out my little puzzle when he 'died.' Of course, he never really did die…as you can see…"

I shook my head and took a step back, eyes probably the size of golf balls now. "You -- but I -- watched you --"

Yami's gaze stared back at me softly and he walked past Fukusuke, I stood there frozen. He placed a hand on my shoulder; it was solid, not ghastly in any way. "Yami?" I whispered a bit brokenly. Fukusuke and the woman were moving away. I turned away quickly from Yami and towards them. "This isn't some sort of joke, right? You don't just go around messing with peoples' heads, right?"

"…Bakura, I'm right here," Yami tried to insist, but rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as the other followed the two.

"Will you please answer me?" I was begging, who gives a damn. "If this is a dream, or if you don't really exist. Hell, maybe I've just been _dead this whole time_!"

Fukusuke stopped and turned to me, watching carefully. But he said nothing. Why won't the brat answer me…?

"Oh, don't you remember?" It was the woman who spoke. She walked to me and lifted my head with a hand. Bloody hell, her hands are freezing! She examined me carefully, yet surprising to myself, I didn't move. "You were never dreaming. You were dead as a doornail when I found your soul wandering the borderlines of life and death, wishing that you hadn't done anything so _stupid_." Thanks for rubbing it in. "Mind you, I was wearing all black at the time and my nutcase of a brother wasn't around, but _I _allowed your spirit to pass into the living world. …How can you not remember?" she placed her free hand to my cheek and I jerked away, stumbling back. Yami came to my side in silence.

"What the fuck are you trying to do to me?!" I yelled, kneeling down and holding my head.

"Can I help you?"

"Leave me alone," the figure whined. "I already helped myself enough today. Or yesterday. Or…whenever it was…" he seemed confused now. His head ached more.

"Really? Seems you just screwed things up for yourself instead of making things better. Let me help you. I hate seeing lost souls in my domain…" the woman seemed to be a morbid type by the way she looked. Her clothes weren't helping her image either. Pale skin only added to the creepiness.

"Your domain?" he blinked and glanced around.

"Do you even know where you are?"

"…Not…really…"

"Get out of my head," I cried and felt Yami put his arms around me as I began to tremble. "I don't want to remember; stay out of my mind!"

She shook her head and stepped out before him, waving a hand to the ground. The dull coloring rippled and pulled apart to reveal a mirror. He glanced down curiously and blinked, startled at seeing images of houses and people he used to know.

"That is the living world."

"So I'm in the world of the dead. Surprise, surprise, Bakura," he told himself bitterly.

"Wrong," she chuckled. "You're in neither. Silly spirit, you wedged yourself in between both!"

He cringed, annoyed. "That's not possible --"

"Oh, yes it is! Come on, let's get you out of here."

"No, I don't want to go anywhere," he stepped away from her quickly. But his eyes caught sight of the mirror again and his eyes widened in shock. "Yami."

"Don't get in too much trouble," she smiled and pushed him towards the mirror and he felt his body slip.

The pain in my head stopped. I drew in a few breaths and stared up, but only Fukusuke was still around. The woman was gone.

"My sister likes to help people sometimes. But it doesn't always work. Sometimes if she allows the dead to wander the living world, things go wrong, or spirits just get lost and experience more pain. But you weren't so stupid…congratulations, you both came back from the dead." He was gone too.

I rubbed my head, almost forgetting about the arms around me.

"Hey, Bakura," Yami finally whispered and I turned in his arms, embracing him tightly.

"I missed you…"

"_We _aren't going anywhere for awhile again."

* * *

"And maybe I'm crazy

but I just can't slow down

And maybe I'm crazy

but at least I'm still around

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Still feels like the first time

to stand here by your side

together regardless

we'll walk through the darkness

Still feels like the first day of my life

Feels like the first day of my life,

(feels like the first day)

Still feels like the first day of my life

Still feels like the first time

to stand here by your side

together regardless

we'll walk through the darkness

Still feels like the first day of my

still feels like the first day of my

still feels like the first day of my life."

And there be the ending and long, long last XD I finally got a musing the day I posted this…so I wrote it as best I could. Now to go carve pumpkins. -smiles-


End file.
